This Heart of Mine
by Darley1101
Summary: Villains don't get happy endings. For a moment, Regina thought she might. After all, she'd done some heroic things. Didn't that warrant more than a glimpse at what happiness could be? She would like to think so. A certain fairy knows so and isn't above repeating history to make sure her friend finds that happy ending.
1. Pixie Dust Doesn't Lie

Title: This Heart Of Mine

Author: Darley1101

Rating: M (contains adult themes, including but not limited to violence and sexual acts)

Characters: Regina/The Evil Queen, Robin Hood, Tinkerbell, Maid Marian, Snow, Emma, Elsa, with mention of others.

Pairings: Regina/Robin, Robin/Maid Marian, mention of Regina/Daniel with mention of others.

Premise: Villains don't get happy endings. For a moment, Regina thought she might. After all, she'd done some heroic things. Didn't that warrant more than a glimpse at what happiness could be? She would like to think so. A certain fairy knows so and isn't above repeating history to make sure her friend finds that happy ending.

Author's Note: The finale fucked with me, I won't lie. I am still beyond pissed off and I don't know of any better therapy than writing. If you're not a fan of Outlaw Queen, I suggest you utilize the exit button, because this is going to be Outlaw Queen, with some Snowing and Captain Swan mixed in.

Dedication: For Shaye, Jade, Maggie, Jacky, Jessica and all my other fan forum lovelies!

Chapter One

Pixie Dust Doesn't Lie

A lonely silence greeted Regina Mills as she stepped out of Granny's diner and into the chilly night air. The temperature seemed to have dropped twenty degrees or so during the ten minutes she'd been inside the busy cafe. Tugging her black cashmere coat closer to her trembling body, Regina stared in the direction she had originally come. She could almost see the ghosts of Robin, Roland, and she as they strolled down the walk, bursting with excitement over their second chance at love. There would be no second chance. Not now. At least not for Regina. Her chin dropped, a curtain of ink black hair shielding her face as a tear rolled down the soft curve of her cheek. She wanted to hate Robin, to replace the blossom of love that had started to bloom in her heart with a dark ball of rage. She couldn't. If it had been Daniel standing there, very much alive, she would have run to him without a second thought. She couldn't even work up a proper rage towards Emma. Hurt and betrayal, yes. Anger, not quite yet. Maybe not ever. Her heart seemed to be enjoying its transition into something softer and was resisting any thought she had towards revenge. Not that she could actually inflict revenge on Emma. The other woman was Henry's biological mother, and right now Henry was all Regina had. She wasn't going to do a thing to screw that up.

"Have they named him yet?"

Regina jerked her head up, startled by the intrusive question. Tinkerbell stood a few feet away, her large blue eyes brimming with curiosity. "Neal," Regina whispered, her throat thick with emotion. "They named him Neal."

"Oh. Isn't that a bit...well awkward?" Something crunched beneath Tinkerbell's boots as she walked closer. Snow, Regina realized in utter disbelief. A fine frosting of snow had covered the ground. Funny, she couldn't remember there being any sign of a freak snow on the news. "I would have thought they would have chosen something a bit more...princely. Like Charles. Prince Charles. Now that has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

There was already a Prince Charles. He lived in some kingdom named England. Regina had seen little bits and pieces of news concerning him in the ridiculous magazines they insisted on having at the grocery store. Besides, naming the baby Neal had been a sweet gesture. A kind one. The sort Snow was known for. "They wanted to honor Henry's father," she answered, not really caring if Tinkerbell had wanted a response or not.

"I suppose your right." A visible shiver racked through Tinkerbell's slight body as she huddled in her red wool coat. "So, why are you out here while everyone else is inside celebrating? Don't tell me you're running again. Regina! You can't keep running from your destiny. You have to..."

Regina shook her head. She wasn't in the mood for one of Tinkerbell's lectures. They were usually more precious than Snow's and Regina couldn't handle precious at the moment. She could barely handle the simple conversation they had going. "I'm not running. Or maybe I am, but not for the reason you think." The bell on the diner chimed, signaling that someone was exiting. _Please don't be Robin, Marian, and Roland. _ A quick glance proved that her silent plea had been a futile one. Grabbing Tinkerbell's arm, Regina pulled her friend into the alley way.

"Is that..." Tinkerbell's lips parted slightly as she stared at the familial scene before them. Regina nodded."She's supposed to be dead. She shouldn't be here. Why is she here?"

"Emma," was all Regina could say. Emma. Interfering Emma who just like her mother. _No,_ Regina's heart raged. Emma wasn't like her mother. Snow had been a child, she hadn't known any better. Emma was an adult; one who had known she shouldn't screw with time. Yet, Emma had done just that. She'd altered her parents story and she'd altered Regina's all in one devastating swoop.

"I don't understand. You're not supposed to bring people back from the dead. It's against the rules." Arms flailing in every direction, Tinkerbell started pacing their small hiding spot. "What was she thinking? Doesn't she realize that if a person is supposed to die you can't change that. All you accomplish is more pain and grief for the people who loved the...what is it Henry calls those things that are half human, half dead person?"

"Zombies," murmured Regina. Marian wasn't a zombie though. She was very much alive. Emma had arrived at a point in time where she could save Marian from whatever calamity it was that killed her. With the luck Regina had been having she was probably to blame for Marian's original death. It wasn't impossible. There had been countless nameless people she'd executed. Not just for herself, but for Midas as well. For a man who could turn things into gold he had a weak stomach when it came to executions. Unless it involved him turning the person into gold and melting them down for monetary gain. He had seemed to rather enjoyed that.

"Right. Zombies. Strange word, that. Zombies."

"She isn't a zombie." Without pausing for a breath, Regina related the tale of Emma and Hook going back in time. Where Emma found Marian.

"Well, she's all about breaking the rules now, isn't she?" Tinkerbell shook her head. "Can't say I'm surprised." The fairy let out a sigh before catching Regina's gaze. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Regina lied, her voice almost choking on the words. She wasn't fine. Her heart felt ready to shatter into a million pieces. She couldn't even muster up a false sense of 'it would be.' She'd let her walls down. She'd opened herself up to the possibility of love again. Look where it had gotten her? Alone, nursing a broken heart while the man she loved found his happy ending with another woman. The woman he had loved all along. The woman he would walk through hell for.

"Don't lie, Regina. Not to me. You forget, I know you."

As much as Regina would like to dispute Tinkerbell's claim that the fairy knew her, it was the truth. If there was anyone who knew Regina better than Regina herself, it was the fairy standing in front of her. "I feel like I am dying inside, is that what you want to hear?"

"No. What I want to hear is that you're happy. That you're letting your goodness shine through."

Happiness. Regina had held it in the palm of her hand, relished the sweetness. It had been fleeting, yanked away as quickly as it had come. Leaving in its wake a sense of loss and longing. As for the supposed goodness Tinkerbell wanted to shine, Regina wasn't sure she had anymore left. "You know what you need? Hope. You need hope Regina. And I know exactly how to give it to you!" A bold, smug smile stretched across Tinkerbell's lips as she pulled out a vile of sparkling green pixie dust.

Regina's mouth opened, ready to tell Tinkerbell what she could do with her pixie dust. Before she could utter the words, Tinkerbell whispered something to the dust before sprinkling it over Regina. Much as it had the first time it shot off into the darkness, providing them with a trail. Heart pounding, Regina gripped Tinkerbell's hand and started to follow. Though her heart was broken, she was in dire need of hope. Perhaps the dust could provide her with a bit. Even if she wasn't ready to move on, knowing there was some one else she could be happy with, was the sort of hope she needed at the moment. Her footsteps faltered as the pixie dust settled around Robin's retreating form. She dropped Tinkerbell's hand and spun around, facing her. Her dark eyes blazed with un-shed tears and all the pent up anger she was trying not to feel. "Your dust is faulty. Robin isn't my soul mate. He isn't my chance for happiness or love or hope. He isn't my anything."

"Pixie dust doesn't lie, Regina," Tinkerbell said softly.

(edited July 17, 2014)


	2. The Not So Evil Queen

_Author's Note: I cannot believe how many of you have already followed the story! Thank you so much. It means the world to me. I hope you continue to enjoy reading this story as much as I am enjoying writing it. _

Chapter Two

The Not So Evil Queen

A fine dusting of ice and snow coated the forest that surrounded Storybrooke, reminding Robin of a story Marian used to tell Roland about the Snow Queen. Legend had it she was a fairy so beautiful that men would offer up their own lives if she would just love them and agree to be their wife. Their lives is exactly what their love had cost them. As soon as a man would declare his love and ask for her hand in marriage, goblins would appear and push the man over the edge of a cliff into a dark abyss. The Snow Queen would sit there, watching, her heart of ice growing colder with each death. A frown marred Robin's face as he thought of another queen whose heart had been rumored to be cold as ice and black as coal. He'd seen first hand that it was neither. _Don't think of her, chap. Best to focus on the wonderful news that Marian is alive._ Marian. Alive. That was something that was even harder to fathom than the way he had started to fall for Regina.

"Robin?" Marian's voice cut through his thoughts. He glanced over his shoulder to find her walking towards him, still garbed in attire that had been suitable for The Enchanted Forest, but not Storybrooke. Emma had offered to loan her some clothing but Marian had cringed at the sweater and jeans that were presented. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing. Please come inside." He felt her arms wrap around his waist, her face pressing into his back, as she hugged him from behind. "I've missed you so," she whispered, one of her hands splaying just above his groin. His heart started to pound, adrenaline and fear rushing through his veins. She would want to make love. He knew Marian enough to know it was her favorite past time in weather like this. He didn't know if he could. Not tonight. Not when less than five hours ago he'd been making love to Regina. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her silky smooth skin. Could still hear her soft moans. _Stop it! You're wife is right here. She's here. Alive._

"Robin?" Marian's arms fell away. She stepped around him and grabbed his face in both her hands, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Tell me. Whatever it is that you're thinking, that is causing you to distance yourself on this happiest of nights, just tell me. We'll get through it together. We always do."

_Not always_, he thought. He had gotten through her 'death' and raising Roland on his own. He'd moved forward. On. His. Own. Perhaps there had been a time when they got through everything together, perhaps they would reach that point again, but it wasn't the reality of the moment. Not his reality anyways. Marian was right though. "I met someone," he said quietly, uncertain how much he should or shouldn't say.

"I see," Marian whispered, stroking her thumb over his cheek. "And did you...love...this someone?"

Had he loved Regina? It was a complicated answer. There was a connection there he couldn't explain. Something that drew him to her. Soul-mates is what Regina had called them. Destined to be together by Fate. He'd started to believe her. To believe in a second chance at love. And then...Fate had brought Marian back to him. He should have been ecstatic. He was ecstatic. He was also a little heart sick as well. "I was starting to," he finally answered, knowing Marian wouldn't let it go until he did.

"I see," she repeated. Her head tipped to the side, her hair tumbling over one shoulder. "It's alright, Robin. I understand. You...you thought I was dead. It makes sense that you would want to move forward in life. We'll get through this." There it was again. Her certainty that they would get through it together. He envied her that sureness. He had no idea how even felt about all of this. Happiness and excitement over the fact that his thought to be dead wife was very alive, yes, but also a little dismay. "What are you thinking? Are you thinking of her?"

"Regina," he murmured, cringing when he heard Marian's sharp intake of breath. He could almost hear her saying the words. The Evil Queen. Regina wasn't that person anymore. Surely Marian...no. She was fresh from the Enchanted Forest. She had no personal experience with Regina other than the rumors of how cruel and twisted the Evil Queen was.

"Regina? The Evil Queen? That's who you...her?" The shrillness of Marian's voice echoed off the icicles that were forming in the branches. "You had her around our son?" She took a few steps backward, her eyes wild with rage. This was a side of her Robin had never seen before.

"Marian, you need to listen to me, the woman you know as the Evil Queen doesn't exist anymore, she's..."

Marian shook her head. Nothing he said positive about Regina would be heard. Maybe it was to soon? Maybe she just needed to see for herself that Regina wasn't the same woman formerly known as the Evil Queen. "Do you know what she's done? Do you...she had me locked in a dungeon for months Robin! She was going to burn me at the stake!" Shaking her head once more, Marian spun on the ball of her foot and hurried back towards the circle of tents. Robin watched her leave, his heart pounding. His mind and his heart warred with her words. As much as he wanted to believe Regina wouldn't have done something like that, he knew it were possible. By her own admission she had lost count of the people she had killed in her quest to get Snow White. Closing his eyes, Robin tried to calm the emotions boiling in his stomach. It was an impossible task.

"Robin?" He felt a soft hand upon his forearm. The same forearm that bore the lion tattoo. He opened his eyes to find Marian had returned. Remorse was stamped across her features. "I'm sorry for acting so cross. I shouldn't have yelled at you that way. It's just difficult for me to understand how the man I love could have any sort of feelings for a woman like her."

Robin was starting to wonder the exact same thing. What sort of man had feelings for a woman who had led such an evil life? Even now, knowing that she was likely to blame for Marian's death, his heart wouldn't let go. It refused to believe, even when his mind was saying it should.


	3. Fairy Best Friend

_Author's Note: I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of all the favorites and follows! To receive so many in such a short amount of time leaves me speechless. Without further ado, here is the third chapter. It was fun to write! I think you will enjoy it! If you do, let me know in a review! They keep me inspired..._

Chapter Three

Fairy Best Friend

A rhythmic knocking stirred Regina from a restless sleep. Biting back a groan, she pushed herself into a sitting position. Through sleep blurred eyes she peered at the digital alarm clock that sat on her nightstand. 5 A.M. Muttering a few choice words, Regina swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the cold hardwood floor with a solid thud. A shiver rippled through her body as she rubbed her skin, trying to smooth away the goose bumps that had formed. "I'm coming," she called when the pounding resumed. She was going to incinerate whoever was out there. Sleep had been difficult in coming, and even when it had blessed her with its presence it had been restless. "Do you know what time it is," she demanded as she yanked open the door. Her jaw slackened as she took in the blizzard like conditions that had formed over night. Springtime snow storms weren't unheard of, but one of this magnitude...it was unlike anything she had ever seen. "What the hell happened?"

"That would be the question of the day," Tinkerbell snapped, reaching one mitten ensconced hand up to adjust her multicolored scarf. "Well don't just stand there. Invite me in. I'm cold in places I didn't even know could get cold."

Regina stepped back just enough to allow Tinkerbell entry. _Although,_ she thought,_ it would serve her right if I left her out there! _Closing the heavy glass and wood door against the elements, she shot Tinkerbell a questioning look. Tinkerbell shot one back. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes. I am very well aware of the time. And I know it is rather early, but we have a long day ahead of us, so I thought the earlier we get started the better." Tinkerbell flashed her a brilliant smile as she unwound her scarf. As she peeled off her mittens and struggled out of her coat, she laid out the plans she had for the day. Breakfast at Granny's; to show the world Regina Mills was just fine, thank you very much. Shopping one town over; because there was this naughty store where a lady named Victoria shared all her secrets, including lace under garments guaranteed to make a man swoon. Dinner at Granny's; again to show the world that Regina Mills was fine.

"I'm not leaving this house. Not today. Maybe not even tomorrow." Padding into the living room, Regina flipped on the light switch. She walked over to the sofa, curled into the corner, and pulled a velvet throw over her shivering body. She would have to turn the heat back on.

"Oh yes you are," Tinkerbell argued, flopping down in a winged back chair. She crossed her legs, bouncing one boot clad foot impatiently. "I am not going to let you wallow away like some...some commoner! You're better than that. So, get your butt upstairs and get dressed. I recommend layers. Lots and lots of layers. It's freezing out there."

"Yeah, about that, doesn't it seem weird that we're getting all this snow?" Tugging the throw up to her chin, Regina tried to keep her focus on Tinkerbell, and off the rug in front of the fireplace. The rug where she and Robin had made love for the first, and last, time. Her eyes pricked with unshed tears. She'd never understood the term making love. Until Robin. It all made perfect sense as his body joined hers, and their hearts had pounded in perfect harmony.

"It's not regular snow. Regular snow doesn't sparkle the way this stuff does. It's...it's sort of like snow with pixie dust in it. Which is impossible, I know. Yet, there it is." A frustrated sigh whooshed past Tinkerbell's pink glossed lips. She reached up and tucked a lock of wavy blonde hair behind her ear. It was a bit wilder than usual, but in an intentional sort of way, Regina noticed. It would seem that Tinkerbell had discovered modern hair product. "It's probably some side effect from that portal or something. Let's not talk about it. Let's get you dressed so we can grab a bite to eat."

"Is Granny's even open at this time?" Regina demanded, knowing very well that Granny opened at 5 for the dwarfs. The dwarfs. Great. They were probably ecstatic over her heartbreak. Especially the one who called himself Leroy. His Enchanted Forest name suited him better. Grumpy.

"You know that it is. Now hurry up. Don't make me use my wand on you!" The threat in Tinkerbell's voice was almost hilarious. She wasn't the bad-ass she liked to think she was. Regina wasn't afraid of her. The worse Tinkerbell could do is make her sneeze or float with pixie dust. "Fine. Have it your way." Rising to her feet, Tinkerbell drew her wand from under her lavender sweater. She raised it in the air and pointed it in Regina's direction. "Last chance..."

"I told you. I don't want to go anywhere today. I just want..." The words were cut off by a blast of pixie dust. Coughing, Regina waved her hand in front of her face. When the air had cleared she glanced down and groaned. True to her word, Tinkerbell had dressed her. There was nothing wrong with the outfit; if you liked white sweaters, aqua colored scarves, and skinny jeans. The only thing remotely wearable, in Regina's opinion, were the black riding boots. Even they were questionable. A quick glance in the mirror that hung on the far wall revealed that her hair now had a slight wave to it and while Tinkerbell had provided make up it was more natural than what Regina usually wore. "You can't be serious."

"I gave you the option of dressing yourself," Tinkerbell reminded her. "Now, get your coat, and lets go."


	4. Conceal, Don't Feel

_Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay in updating. I needed to gather my thoughts on what I wanted to accomplish in this chapter. I think, for the most part, this is just filler that helps push the storyline forward. Parts of it, as Outlaw Queen fans, will be hard to read. Just bear with me. We have to get through the ugly to get to the good stuff. It is coming. Soon. I promise. _

Chapter Four

Conceal, Don't Feel

Robin shoved his hands into the pockets of the quilted jacket he'd donned when he'd realized the weather had dropped another ten degrees. _It drops anymore and we'll have to look into seeking shelter at Granny's,_ he thought, ducking his head against a chilly, whispering breeze that sent swirls of sparkling snow dancing through the air. He hadn't been in this world long but it struck him as odd that the weather would go from finally warming to bitterly cold. If he didn't know any better he would think magic were involved. Which was impossible. There were only two conjurers of magic powerful enough to cause a freeze. The Dark One and Regina. The Dark One seemed wrapped up in his newly acquired bride and didn't really strike Robin as the sort to freeze people to death. No, the Dark One was more of a hands on sort of bloke. As for Regina...His heart constricted. She wouldn't do this. He wanted to believe she had changed enough that she wouldn't take her hurt out on the rest of them. He needed to believe that. If he didn't, it meant he'd not only had feelings for the woman who 'killed' his wife, but for a spiteful monster. Maybe that was who Regina really was, but he wasn't quite ready to accept that. Not just yet.

"Is it always this cold?" Marian complained, her voice trembling almost as much as her body. He'd tried to get her to wear the jacket Emma had brought by, but once again Marian refused. She was clinging to her Enchanted Forest clothing as though the homespun gown were her lifeline. Maybe it was. Maybe in Marian's mind it was her last connection to a home she would never see again. He felt his stomach starting to twist every time he thought about all the changes Marian was facing. It was impossible not to feel feel his blood boil or his heart crack whenever he thought about what Regina had done to his wife. Locked in a dungeon. Forced to wear a bag over her head and paraded from village to village as an example of what happened to people who helped Snow White. That was something that bothered him. Snow White didn't seem to have a clue who Marian was. The one time he'd asked Marian about the other woman's lack of remembrance she'd gotten quiet and then burst into tears, saying she didn't want to remember that horrid part of her life. She just wanted to move on, for them to pick up where they had left off. Robin wasn't sure they could.

"No," Robin said when, for a second time, she asked if it was always so cold. He paused in his trek through the woods so she could catch up. When she did, he slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her body up close to his. She felt like an icicle. He gathered her hands between his, trying to rub some warmth into them. "Will you please wear the jacket Emma brought for you? Tis far to cold for..." He bit back an exasperated sigh when she shook her head. "Marian, you're going to make yourself ill if you don't wear something warmer."

"I survived four months in the _Evil Queen_'s dungeon. A little cold weather isn't going to do me in." It was stubbornness. Pure, pig headed stubbornness. Just as her constant reminders that it was Regina's fault she'd been absent all those years. A part of him wanted to remind her that if she had done as he asked and stayed at the camp with Roland she wouldn't have been in the position to be captured. Which was another thing he eventually wanted answers for. He'd been against the Maleficent heist from the start, but Will Scarlet had made a pretty case, using Robin's own quest for humanity against him. Like a fool, Robin had fallen for it. Like an even bigger fool, he'd allowed Marian to take part. She'd begged him, saying she needed to feel as though she were useful. Her role had been simple. Stand watch in the woods, ready to give the signal if anyone approached. Everything had gone according to plan. Until it hadn't. Will had been after some magic looking glass for his own personal reasons and by the time Robin figured out the man he'd relied on to help protect Marian, it was to late. Will was long gone and Marian had slipped on the snow and ice, falling to what Robin had assumed was her death. She'd survived though. Somehow she had survived and ended up in Regina's dungeon. That was what interested him. How she ended up in the dungeon instead of coming home where she belonged. It was a conversation that would have to wait for another day, as she didn't seem very keen on talking about anything to do with her capture. Her focus was on reminding who had captured her.

"Marian, I beg of you, wear the jacket. If not for your sake or mine, then for Roland's." The dark, sullen look she sent him reminded him of the look their son got right before throwing a temper tantrum. A brief smile tipped the corner's of his mouth. "I know this world is strange and new," he said softly, "but once you allow yourself-"

"It was built by the Evil Queen using dark magic. You'll have to pardon my lack of enthusiasm." She crossed her arms over her chest. Either in defiance or in an attempt to warm herself. "The last time I saw Roland was four months ago," she whispered. "He was just a baby. Not even a year old. Now he's almost five. He doesn't even know me." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Sometimes he forgets that's he supposed to call me Mama. I know he isn't trying to hurt me, but it hurts none the less." She dropped her gaze to the snow covered ground. "What hurts the most is when he asks for _her_. My own son. Asking for the very woman who took me from him to begin with!"

"Yes, about that, how did you end up in Regina's dungeon?" If they were going to keep going down that path, he at least needed to know how it happened. He needed to understand how it happened. It was the only way he was going to be able to harden his heart against Regina. It was the only way he was going to be able to think of her as the Evil Queen. He had to connect the woman who talked of being soul-mates with the queen who locked innocent women in dungeons for months on end, taunting them with execution but never letting them know when it would occur.

"What does it matter? She found me and she locked me up." The way she said it made it very clear that was the only answer he was going to get. For now. He wasn't through with this conversation. Not by a long shot.


	5. Broken

_Author's Note: Very rarely do I write a story solely for myself. It is usually per the request of a fan or because I've come across a storyline that begs to be written. This story is something I am writing strictly for myself, which makes it all that much better to have others enjoying it! Thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows, etc. They mean a lot and keep me inspired. This is another difficult chapter. Like I said, we've got to wade through the ugly to get to the good. On another note, I am going in my own direction with Elsa. While I loved the movie Frozen, I want to write a darker character than the one we seen. I really enjoy the route I have taken, and I hope you do as well! (PS I am aware of some OOC moments. Still trying to get the hang of these characters. Just bear with me!)_

Chapter Five

Broken

Tiny fingers with delicate pink nails curled around Regina's outstretched index finger. She'd been avoiding this moment. For almost three weeks she'd succeeded. Tinkerbell had called it Operation Keep Regina Occupied. It would have been more aptly named Operation Drive Regina Insane. In a seventeen day time frame she'd learned more about the world outside Storybrooke than in the twenty-eight years prior that she had lived there. There were crowded indoor markets called malls, where a person could buy anything imaginable. From tiny little devices that played music to designer shoes. It could be found in the mall. Discovering all the little stores and learning all the latest gadgets had eaten up a week. Fourteen whole days of mindless roaming in a place where she spent too much money on lacy underwear nobody but she would see and ate chocolate dipped apples that made her stomach revolt. They'd killed another three days going to movies. If it was in the theater, they watched it. There had been one or two films Regina had enjoyed, but most of them had been ridiculous. The one she took the greatest offense to was the monstrosity known as Maleficent. Since when did her former adversary warrant her own movie? Tinkerbell had told her to get over it, and for the most part she had. It still stung though. Maleficent. With her own movie. It really rankled. Not as much as Tinkerbell insisting they attend the town meeting the Charmings had called. There was some concern over the snow. Regina had tried to dig her heels in. She'd tried the age old headache excuse, which really wasn't an excuse since her head was still on the verge of exploding because of that damn movie. There had been no refusing. Not when Henry showed up at her door, worry on his face, asking where she'd been for the past week and a half and was she coming to the town meeting? She'd had no choice but to say of course she was going.

Snow had pounced on her the moment she walked through the doors of town hall. There had been a moment of awkwardness where Snow tried to apologize for what Emma had done, but Regina had cut her off by shaking her head. Snow was saying what she thought Regina needed to hear to feel better. Like everyone else, deep down, Snow thought Emma had done the right thing. Emma always did the right thing. Even when she didn't. That was an argument Regina wasn't going to touch. It would solve nothing and cost her what little she had left. Besides, it was impossible to pick a fight with Snow when the other woman had just laid her two week old son in Regina's arms. He was so tiny. So innocent. The way his little fingers curled around her index finger. A familiar ache started throbbing in her heart. She'd had this once, when Henry was a baby, and for about five minutes she'd let herself dream about another baby. One that was the perfect mixture of her and Robin. Her lashes blinked rapidly as tears formed. She wouldn't cry. Not here. The tears would have to wait until later, when she was safely alone in her shower. It was the only peace she had. Tinkerbell had set up camp in her spare room, which meant she had a roommate, whether she wanted one or not.

"You look a bit like your nephew," Regina whispered, smiling down at the sleeping babe. It was the nose. Both Baby Neal and Henry had Charming's nose. On an infant and an adolescent it looked huge. They would grow into it though and become just as handsome as the man who'd past it on to them.

"...really worried about her," she heard Tinkerbell whisper. Raising her head a bit, Regina peeked in her friend's direction from the corner of her eye. Tinkerbell stood a few feet away with Snow. "She's starting to make herself physically ill. The last two mornings I've woke to find her in the bathroom throwing up."

"I should have been by," Snow whispered back, regret on her elfin features. "I've been meaning to, it's just with the new baby..."

"Snow, I'm scared she's going to do something." The fear on Tinkerbell's face scared Regina. Had she been that bad? She'd thought she was coping rather well. Letting Tinkerbell drag her all over the place. And yes, she'd been feeling horrid in the mornings, but wasn't that to be expected? She cried herself to sleep. She, the woman who had once been known as the Evil Queen, cried herself to sleep because a man had done what any man would have done if their dead wife were to be suddenly alive again.

"What? No. Regina's not suicidal." Snow shook her head, but there was doubt on her face. "She wouldn't do anything to hurt herself. She knows how much that would hurt Henry." Snow was right. As lovely as death sounded at times, Regina couldn't bring herself to do anything that would cause Henry pain. "Maybe that's what she needs. More time with Henry. I'm going to talk to Emma. Tell her she's just going to have to let Henry go over there more."

Regina felt her blood temperature spike. Snow would talk to Emma about letting Henry come over more? Just who the hell did they think they were? From a legal stand point, Regina was Henry's mother. She'd adopted him through a legitimate adoption agency. It wasn't as though she had stolen him. The fact that he had ended up being Emma's son, the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming, was some twist Fate had thrown them all. The baby in her arms stirred and fussed. "Shh," Regina whispered, shifting the tiny bundle so that he was no longer cradled in her arms, but resting with his head nuzzled into the crook of her neck. Henry had loved sleeping that way. His uncle was no different.

"Regina!"

Her whole body stiffened as a pair of tiny arms wrapped around her legs. Squeezing her eyes shut, she forced herself to dig deep and smile. "Roland," she said, cringing when her voice cracked. With her free hand, she lovingly brushed a curl from his forehead. He smiled up at her, his twin dimples winking in his cheeks, and his dark eyes sparkling with happiness. He buried his face in her upper thigh, hugging even tighter.

"Miss you," he said, one small hand reaching for hers. It hurt. Oh God did it hurt. She couldn't begin to tell this sweet little boy she'd come to love as a son how much she missed him. "Regina. How come you don't come see me no more?"

It was the straw, or rather the question, that broke the dam. There was no stopping the tears that streamed down her cheeks. "I didn't want to intrude on your time with your mama," she managed to choke out. She felt Snow on one side, Tinkerbell on the other.

"I don't like her," Roland pouted. "She doesn't read stories or make me toys."

A small part of Regina found satisfaction in the fact that Roland wasn't bonding with Marian. Most of her just ached for the little boy. "I'm sure if you asked her to tell you a story she would."

Roland shook his head. "She _tells_ me stories, but she won't read one to me. Out of the books you gave me. She took them away. Said they were bad magic."

She felt her blood starting to boil again. _Calm, Regina, stay calm._ If she were in Marian's shoes, she might react the same. "Well, telling you a story is the same as reading you one," Regina encouraged. "And I bet she has a lot of really good ones to tell you."

His little shoulders lift in a shrug, before drooping when his name was shrilly called from across the room. Regina could hear the panic in Marian's voice. It was the panic of a mother who just realized the child she thought was by her side wasn't. "He's over here," Snow called.

Seventeen Days. For seventeen days she had managed to avoid seeing Robin, either on his own or with his wife. Most of that could be accredited to Tinkerbell's obsession with going out of town. Seventeen days should have given her more of an edge. Time to reconstruct walls and...It felt like a sucker punch to the gut. Seeing him walk towards her, no towards Roland, with his wife by his side. "You can't run off like that," Robin scolded. "Remember, if you see someone you want to say hello to you have to tell me where you're going."

"Us," Marian interjected, her jaw hard. "He has to tell us, Robin. I'm his parent to." Her gaze shifted to the trio of woman Roland was standing with. Eyes narrowed, her focus zeroed in on Regina. "Stay away from my son," she snapped.

"Marian," Robin started, only to snap his mouth shut. For a split second his eyes met Regina's. It was still there, the connection neither of them could explain. By his side, his fingers flexed, as though he were trying to keep control of their actions. She broke the connection, swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat.

"I don't want her near our son," Marian bit out. She reached out and grabbed hold of Roland's jacket sleeve. She tugged him close, holding his small body against hers. "You might have stolen months of my life, and you might have everyone else fooled into thinking you've changed, but I know you for who you really are...your majesty."

"Inhale deeply through the nose. Exhale slowly through pursed lips. Repeat as needed until the urge to fry former lover's wife to a crisp subsides." The softly spoken words for her ears only came from Tinkerbell. Leave it to Tink to try and find humor in the situation, to force Regina to smile when she really wanted to die a little more.

"I..I'm sorry, but there's something that's been bothering me about that..." Regina snapped her attention towards Snow. Her heartbeat picked up speed. "Emma says you were imprisoned for helping me but...I don't recall ever meeting you before the other night." An odd sort of quiet filled the room as all other conversations hushed and the focus shifted towards their little group.

"I...well...you..." A flush crept into Marian's cheeks. Regina stood up a little straighter. She was lying. Marian was lying. Whatever had led to her imprisonment, it had nothing to do with Snow White. "I'm sorry! Its all still to fresh to talk about."

Snow's lips parted as though she wanted to say something more, but David clearing his throat and suggesting they get the meeting started stopped her. She turned towards Regina. "You still good? Or do you want me to take him?"

Staring down at the sleeping baby, Regina felt her lower lip tremble. This was as close to holding her own child that would come. "We're fine," she whispered. Snow smiled sweetly, patted her arm, and moved to stand with her husband. She buried her face in the soft blue blanket that was wrapped around baby Neal. He smelled the way Heaven must smell.

"Regina." The way he said her name cut right through her soul. "Please try to understand..." 

Tinkerbell stepped between them. "No, you need to understand something. You were given a gift. An opportunity. Do you know how many people spend their whole lives searching for their soul mate? You had yours. She let down her walls, she opened her heart, and for what? So her soul-mate could walk away for a relationship with a woman who is obviously lying!"

"Alright," Snow soothed, rejoining them. "Meetings about to start. Let's take our seats, shall we." She placed the palm of her hand in the small of Regina's back and ushered her towards an empty seat on the front room. Next to Emma. She thought about bulking but the baby in her arms stopped her. "We're family," Snow said softly. "And family sticks together. Even when another member of that family hurts you. She's sorry, Regina. More than you know. Just...talk to her. Please. For me. For Henry."

There it was. The Henry card. It had only been a matter of time before one of them used it. She just hadn't expected it to be Snow, or for it to be mixed in with talk of family. Fighting back a scowl, Regina took the seat. She half way expected Snow to take the baby, but quickly realized the reason she still have the littlest Charming was so he could act as a buffer. "I am trying to understand and I am trying to not want to rip your heart out," she managed between clenched teeth. Emma slowly turned her head and shot her a mournful look. Snow hadn't been exaggerating, she thought in amazement. There was definitely regret on Emma's features. "For what it's worth, I know you didn't do it to hurt me."

"No, I didn't," Emma answered. "She was in the dungeon and I just...I couldn't leave her there to die. Not when her only crime was to help my mother."

There it was again. Marian helping Snow. The trouble with that story was not even Snow remembered Marian assisting her. Regina's own memories were sketchy. She didn't know if that was an after effect of Emma's altering of the time-line or if it was because Marian had just been unlucky enough to piss off either Maleficent or Midas. She'd come to the conclusion that Robin's wife must have originally been the prisoner of one of her 'allies.' Midas made the most sense. He was a greedy man and if Robin had stolen from him, she could see him retaliating by taking the man's wife. And since Midas had a weak stomach when it came to actually killing his prisoners, it wasn't unusual for them to find their way into Regina's dungeon, awaiting execution along with the poor souls she'd deemed unworthy to live. Nor was it unusual for her to use one of Midas' prisoners as an example of what happened when someone helped Snow White. She had a clear memory of that. Yanking a burlap bag off of Marian's head and telling villagers they would be next if they kept helping Snow White. What she couldn't make sense of was why Marian was telling people she'd been imprisoned for helping a woman who didn't even remember her. "I don't think that is why she was there," Regina said carefully.

Emma's brow puckered. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Forget it." Until she had a better grasp on her memories, it was best to leave it alone. What was done was done. It couldn't be undone. Not now. It would cause Robin and Roland too much pain.

"No. I don't want to forget it. If she lied about why she was there, then..." David cut her off by calling the meeting to order. The room quieted as he started going through what they knew about the snow. It wasn't normal snow. It didn't melt and it seemed to have some of the same qualities as pixie dust. "I talked to Gold about Marian," Emma whispered. "He's worried that I might have pissed off Fate or something." It was a possibility. A very real possibility given the type of snow that had been piling up outside ever since Emma and Hook's adventure in the Enchanted Forest.

"Elsa," Tinkerbell whispered. Regina felt her blood run cold. "Think about it. Emma screwed with Fate when she brought Marian back with her. We both know there is nobody Fate loves more than Elsa."

"Okay, whose this Elsa chick and what does she have to do with Fate?" Emma demanded.

Regina's brow wrinkled. Tinkerbell was right. Elsa made sense. Except how in the hell did she get to Storybrooke? She hadn't been seen in years. There had been talk of her being imprisoned in an urn by some dark force who wanted to outrun their Fate. "Emma, did you and Hook bring anything back with you? Anything at all? An urn perhaps?"

Emma visibly swallowed. "I think we might have accidentally brought back an urn. Killian was looking at one in Rumple's vault before we...well before we came home. So I guess it is possible the urn came through with us."

"Oh boy," whispered Tinkerbell.

Oh boy didn't begin to cover it. If they were dealing with Elsa, and it sounded like they were, the freezing wouldn't stop until she got what she came for. "Regina, who the hell is Elsa," Emma demanded for a second time.

"The snow Queen. Elsa is the Snow Queen." It was in that moment she realized David had stopped talking and that she had once again become the center of attention. From the looks on the faces of most of the people in the room they knew who Elsa was. They knew what she was capable of. And three weeks of arctic weather was just the beginning.

"Well how do we stop her?"

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat. Her lips parted but nothing came out. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell Emma that the only way to stop Elsa was to give her what had been stolen from Fate.


	6. The Secrets That We Keep

_Author's Note: I am in complete and total awe right now. Your kind reviews, as well as all the favorites and follows, are incredibly humbling. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. So the last chapter was a turning point. This chapter will be the last of the set up chapters. I promise. It is one that needed to be written though and I do think at the very end you will understand why I wrote it in the POV I chose. _

Chapter Six

The Secrets That We Keep

A shiver rippled down Marian's spine as she followed Robin out of the crowded hall and into the frozen wasteland outside. Elsa. The Snow Queen. One did not grow up in the Enchanted Forest and not know of the Snow Queen. Her mother was Titania, the Queen of the Fairies. It was said that Titania grew weary of controlling Fate and Destiny, so she created two new fairies to take over the duties. One was formed from the most enchanting snowflake on the coldest of nights, while the other was created in the spring from the first drop of dew on the first blossom. Their names were Elsa and Anna. Fate and Destiny. Till now, Marian had thought the legend to be nothing more than just that...a legend. Tales told to children by their parents. _Don't tempt fate, my dear, you don't want to risk __a meeting with Elsa, The Snow Queen. _Now, the legend held a whole new meaning. One that made her blood run cold and her heart race. She'd heard what Emma said. That perhaps in saving saving Marian from the Evil Queen's dungeon she'd pissed off Fate. It wasn't Emma who had pissed off Fate. It was Marian. And it had nothing to do with the Evil Queen or her dungeon.

Heart pounding, Marian glanced in Robin's direction. She raised a trembling hand up to brush a lock of her hair off her face. In the past she would have spoken with Robin about their months apart but what she had been through, what she had done, wasn't something he would understand. "Do you think the Evil Queen is right? Do you think Elsa is the cause of all this snow?"

Robin shifted Roland's sleeping form from one arm to the other. "Tis possible." He shot her a concerned look. "Why do you ask?" Marian lift one shoulder in a partial shrug. She couldn't explain her fears without first telling him a truth he wouldn't want to hear. A truth she wasn't sure she was ready to share. One day, sooner rather than later, she would have to tell him. Today was not that day. At least not yet it wasn't.

"No reason," she murmured. Huddling deeper into the odd, gray jacket that Emma had loaned her, Marian studied her husband's face. He looked older. Wiser. A little harder. There was little of the idealist young man she'd run away with. It had all been so exciting at first. Moving from place to place. Setting up elaborate schemes to take from the rich so the poor could survive. She'd loved it. Right up until the moment she grew to hate it. The hate came during her pregnancy. She'd wanted her mother. Only there was no possibility that she could go home. She was just as much a criminal in the eyes of the law as Robin. And even if she hadn't been, her parents had been very clear that if she left with the Locksley boy she would no longer be welcome in their home. They'd wanted her to marry The Sheriff of Knottingham; a man twice her age who didn't want a wife so much as someone to take care of his home. Robin had seemed like the better choice. He'd certainly been the more handsome of the two. And he'd provided her with the one thing she wanted most in life: adventure.

"Marian." Robin stepped in front of her, preventing her from taking another step. "Whatever it tis, we can only get through it if you talk to me."

She wanted to deny that there was anything to talk about, but decided against it. They were kindred spirits, Robin and she. They knew each other in ways others would never know. Which made what she had done so much worse. "Somethings can't be discussed," she whispered, pressing her chin against her chest so he wouldn't see the tears that had started to roll down her cheeks. How did she tell this man, her husband, that she had made a pact with the devil? How did she tell him that she hadn't made the pact so she could return to him and Roland, but so she could be free? What a fool she had been.

"That is where you are wrong. All things can be discussed. Tis just a matter of whether or not the person who needs to do the talking is willing." His jaw visibly hardened. He stared at her for a moment before shaking his head and striding in the direction of the gathering place known as Granny's.

"Its not that simple," she called after him, hurrying to catch up. Her crudely made boots slipped a little on the slick walk way. Flinging one hand out she caught hold of a lamp post, her heart pounding as she balanced herself. _He didn't even notice,_ she thought sadly. She took a deep breath of frozen air, cringing at the way it burned in her lungs, before starting after him once more. It was his self righteous anger that kept him from noticing things. It was a path they had been down before. In fact, it was the same path they had traveled the day she died.


	7. Stranger

_Author's Note: The last chapter gave a look into where Marian is coming from as well as a basis for my version of the Snow Queen. There is nothing wrong with Frozen or the original myth of the Snow Queen but I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to give Elsa a direct connection to Fate and Anna a direct Connection to Destiny. I hope you enjoy my take on it and that my twisting of fact with fiction doesn't bother you. Alright, now, on with the show! Love it or hate, let me know in a review. I am a little uncertain of it myself. In fact I had to force myself to write this chapter. It had to happen at this point though.P.S. I am still trying to get a handle on these characters, so again I must apologize for them being OOC. If you see an area where they could be improved I would love to know! I enjoy learning and growing as a writer and the best way to do that is by getting feedback from my readers.) _

Chapter Seven

Stranger

Granny's diner was busier than Robin would have expected for as late as it was. It seemed as though everyone had left the town hall and met back up at the cafe. He feigned a smile and nodded greetings to the people who called out hellos but ignored all the requests for him to join them. His sole focus was on renting a room from Granny and settling Roland into a warm bed for the night. Marian could either get over her aversion for all things Storybrooke or she could freeze in the tent back at camp; Robin didn't care which she chose. What he did care about was her lying. Right up until the moment Snow confronted Marian he'd had hope. Hope that Marian would talk to him. Hope that he would look at her and see the woman he'd married. Hope that eventually everything would be alright. The hope was gone. Her refusal to admit the truth, even when Snow had point blank said she didn't recall them ever meeting, had killed every last ounce of it. He'd given her another opportunity to talk to him, to tell him the truth, and she'd done what she always did: refused.

"Looking for a room, are we," Granny asked by way of a greeting when Robin called her name.

"How did you know?" He shifted Roland to his left shoulder and began working out the kinks that had formed in his right arm. It seemed that his son grew more and more each day. Before he knew it he wouldn't be able to carry his boy. It was a disheartening thought.

"It's getting far too cold for that boy to be sleeping in a tent. And," she lowered her voice, "if what they're saying is true the woods are no place for anyone to be."

Robin felt his mind drift back to the conversation that had occurred between Regina and Emma. They were under the impression that the weather was being caused by Elsa, the Snow Queen. _Otherwise known as Fate. _What bothered Robin the most wasn't the fact that they thought Elsa was lurking about, it was the fact that they thought Elsa was there for Marian. Neither woman had said it aloud but Robin had learned a long time ago that the silence often said more than actual words. "Yes, well, I suppose you're right." He smiled faintly, accepting the key she held out. It was an old brass one with a Swan on it. The irony of the Swan was no lost on him. With her one decision to bring his wife back with her from the past, Emma _Swan _had changed his life. The verdict was still out on whether or not he viewed that as a bad thing. Even now, knowing Marian was lying about something, he wasn't ready to just call it quits. He wasn't a quitter and she was his wife. A man did not desert his wife. _No matter the cost,_ he thought sadly.

"Room six. It is the last door on the right hand side. You'll want to draw the curtains because that streetlight likes to shine right in the window." Granny called after him as he started towards the hall that led to the staircase. He gave a curt nod to let her know he had heard her.

He found the room exactly where she said it would be. Last door on the right. He bent at the knees, praying he didn't wake Roland, as he fit the key into the lock. It opened easily and within five minutes he'd settled Roland under the quaint wedding ring patterned quilt that covered the double bed. Biting back a sigh, Robin sank into the ladder back chair that was situated near the window. Granny was right, the streetlight did shine in. Instead of closing the curtain as she had suggested, Robin stared out the window. The street was empty except for a small group of people walking towards the diner. The closer the drew Robin realized it was Emma, Snow, Tinkerbell, and, his heart twisted, Regina. He watched them, _her_ specifically, until they disappeared from his line of vision. Reaching out with a hand that felt as heavy as his heart, Robin drew the curtains closed, leaving the room in a silent darkness.

Would it always be this way? Would he always feel like his heart was weighed down with a thousand bricks every time he seen Regina? It had been pure torture standing so close to her at the town hall. There had been so many things he wanted to say to her and he hadn't been able to. First because Marian had been there and then because Tinkerbell had wouldn't let him. Tinkerbell's words had slammed into his gut like an iron fist. She'd been right, of course. Most people did spend their whole lives searching for their soul-mate and never succeeded. He'd had his. He'd tasted what it could be like. And then in one moment it had slipped through his fingers. He couldn't even properly mourn the loss because to do so would be like saying he wished Marian were still dead. There was also that muddy detail about Regina imprisoning Marian for helping Snow White. It was pretty obvious that Marian had lied about knowing Snow. Had she lied about being in the Evil Queen's dungeon as well?

A tentative knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Biting back a sigh, Robin rose to his feet. He could only think of one person who would be knocking on the door and that was his wife. Tonight was the night. Whether Marian liked it or not, she was going to answer for all the things she'd been hiding and lying about since her return. "You're right," Marian said when he opened the door. "You were right when you said I wasn't willing to talk." She wrapped her arms around her middle and stared at him with eyes that looked haunted. "If you're still willing to listen, I think I'm ready. I just don't know if you are ready to hear what I have to say."

Robin felt his heavy heart drop another fraction. He'd known that whatever Marian was hiding wasn't good. He had thought he had prepared himself. Now as she stood before him ready to tell him what he wanted to know he wasn't so certain. "Alright," he answered softly. He glanced over his shoulder to where Roland lay sleeping. Chances were Roland wouldn't wake up while they were talking but Robin wasn't sure he wanted to risk their son hearing something that could change Roland's feelings for his mother. Maybe what Marian had to reveal wouldn't result in such a thing but it wasn't a risk Robin was willing to take; especially when she seemed to think that Robin was ready to hear what she had to say. _Yet she was still going to tell him._"We'll speak in the hall."

Marian's gaze followed his to the bed where Roland slept. She nodded. "Alright, the hall it is." She took a step backwards, her fingers twisting together as she waited for him to join her. Robin pulled the door to the room mostly shut and then leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "I don't know where to begin," she whispered.

"The beginning perhaps," Robin suggested dryly.

"Right. Of course. The beginning." Marian nodded. She took another couple of steps backward, pressing herself against the wall. "I suppose that would be the night we broke into Maleficent's castle." For a split second their eyes met and Robin seemed a glimmer of bitterness. He didn't know if it was directed towards him or towards what occurred. "I stayed where you told me to. Watching for any sign that Maleficent and her guards had returned." Her gaze wavered, a far off looking clouding her usually bright eyes. She tucked her lower lip between her teeth, her brow wrinkling, as a myriad of emotions crossed her face._ "_There was a noise. Someone running through the woods. I thought it must be one of the men so I followed. Silly of me, I realize that now. You never disband. You go in as one, you leave as one." Her fingers shook as she raised one hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I hit a patch of ice and lost my footing. There was nothing around to grab hold of." She pushed away from the wall and started pacing. "It felt like hours before I hit the ground. I never knew a person could feel so much pain that they feel nothing." Robin pressed his fist against his mouth, his eyes burning as he thought about how she must have felt. Scared. Aloe. _Dying._ "Do you know what my last thoughts were of Robin?" _Roland. _She stopped pacing and met his gaze once more. "How much I didn't get to do."

Robin reached up, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Tis understandable," he whispered. He couldn't blame her for her last thoughts being that of what she had yet to do in life. Isn't that what most would think of? All they were never going to be able to do?

"No," she shook her head, stepping away from his touch. "You don't understand. I wasn't thinking of all the things _we _weren't going to be able to do. I was thinking of all the things _I_ hadn't been able to do because..." her gaze dropped to the floor, "because I married you and we had Roland." Her eyes squeezed shut as she clenched her fists. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I was so angry! I blamed _you _for what happened even though it was my fault. You wanted me to stay at the camp. You begged me to. I needed adventure though and look what it got me? A painful death."

"You're not dead though," Robin managed to croak out.

"Oh Robin," she whispered, opening her eyes. "That's where you're wrong. I died. Make no mistake of that."

"Then how?" He yelled. "How are you here?"

"There was a woman. She said she could give me what I wanted, all I had to do was grant her one small favor." She started pacing again. "All I had to do was allow the Evil Queen to capture me and lure Snow White to her castle."

The blood started to slowly drain from Robin's face. He could accept Marian feeling like their life together had been a prison of sorts that she wanted free of, but he could not accept that she would accept an offer with such a steep price. Her life for that of Snow White's. He didn't understand. The Marian he had known and loved would never have accepted such a deal. _The Marian you knew and loved no longer exists,_ he thought sadly.

"Don't look at me that way," Marian begged. She reached out and grabbed a hold of his sleeve. He looked down at her hand. "Robin, you have to listen to me! I didn't want anything to happen to Snow White, I swear to you, I just wanted..."

"Yes, I believe you made it very clear what you wanted," he whispered, slowly peeling her fingers from his arm. He couldn't be here. He couldn't listen to anymore. He could accept that Marian had been unhappy in their marriage and that she hadn't been ready to be a mother. The warning signs had been there, he'd just chosen to forget. It had seemed poor to think ill of the dead. Especially when he had loved her more than life itself. He would give anything to be that naïve again; to have the memory of the woman he loved still intact.

"No! I don't think you do! She promised me that once the Evil Queen killed Snow White she could defeat her. She could destroy her." Marian followed after him. "You have no idea how evil she really was Robin! I watched her _burn _Snow White at the stake. She would have done the same to me! She is evil through and through and she deserved..."

"Enough!" Robin cried, spinning around to face her. "Do you not hear yourself? You traded your life for another." An innocent life. Pressing his lips into a grim line he felt himself torn in two directions. The need to get as far from her as possible and the fact that _his _son was asleep and he wasn't sure he trusted Marian to be alone with him. He sank onto the stairs, his head bowed. He heard Marian whisper that she was sorry before she stepped around him and walked down the stairs. A small voice in the back of his head told him to stop her, that Fate was out there waiting to claim the life that had been denied her, but he couldn't do it. The woman walking away wasn't his wife, she was a stranger.


	8. Believe

_Author's Note: The last chapter was difficult to write. It was such an intense scene and I am still worried some of the intensity was lost due to me being in a hurry to post. This chapter wasn't any easier to write. There are some rather big things that occur in this chapter and I want to be sure I do them justice. I want to be sure the characters are true to themselves but still speak and behave in a way that flows with the storyline. I've walked a fine line with that since the start of this story and I will probably continue to do so right up until the end. I am still fairly new to writing for Once Upon A Time so I don't quite have a grasp on the characters. Which is why I am always saying I am open to critiques. I want to learn. The best way to learn is by having someone care enough to point out my mistakes. Enough of my senseless rambling though! You're here for the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter. It is sort of fluffy. You know, cause I owe you some fluff after the last 7 angst riddled chapters! Leave me a review letting me know you're thoughts. _

Chapter Eight

Believe

The acidic taste of bile filled Regina's mouth as she stood just outside Granny's diner. She hadn't wanted to come but Snow, Emma, and Tinkerbell had insisted. There were things that needed to be discussed and Granny's was the perfect place to do it. Normally Regina would have agreed but lately there was something about the smell of the place that had her wanting to stand over a trashcan and wretch. She couldn't go in there. If she did she was going to lose the little bit of food she'd eaten earlier. What choice did she have? Telling the other women that she wanted to go home because she didn't feel well wasn't an option. They would all assume she was trying to keep her distance from Emma. While that was partially true, it wasn't why Regina wanted to go home. The last three weeks had been draining. Not just physically but emotionally as well. Even though Snow seemed hell bent on including her, Regina knew she wasn't needed. Snow, Emma, and Tinkerbell were capable of figuring out how to handle the Elsa situation on their own.

"You don't look so well," Snow observed. She hung back as the other two women hurried inside, her eyes fixated on Regina's face. Her blue eyes seemed to be searching for something. "Tinkerbell's worried that you're making yourself sick. She says you've been throwing up a lot. Mostly in the morning." Her gaze swung from Regina's face to her stomach. "Regina," she said softly, "is there any possibility that you're pregnant?"

Regina's first instinct was to remind Snow of the fact that she had been unable to bear Leopold a second child. Her lack of fertility hadn't been due to being barren though, but from a potion Rumple had concocted. She hadn't been able to afford the emotional risk of a child and she hadn't wanted to give Leopold the satisfaction of having a son. Since she hadn't gotten pregnant during her time with Graham, Regina had assumed whatever Rumple had given her had made it impossible for her to ever have a child. It was ridiculous to even think that one time with Robin had resulted in a child. "I'm not pregnant," she whispered. She didn't know if she was answering Snow or trying to remind herself it wasn't possible.

"So you and Robin never..." Snow raised one eyebrow, her cheeks flushing. Regina felt the blood rushing to her own cheeks. "So you did. Which means it is possible."

"No," Regina shook her head. She wasn't going to entertain false hope. The few times she'd allowed herself to dream of having a family with Robin it had all hinged on Rumple creating some spell that reversed the potion he had originally created for her. "It would be impossible."

"Impossible things happen every single day," her former step-daughter said softly, excitement ringing in her voice. "You just have to believe."

Believe in the impossible. Regina had done that once. She'd believed the grand-daughter of a king, a princess, could marry a stable boy because they loved each other. Her mother had shown her quick enough that believing in something didn't make it possible. It just made the person who believed heart broken. For a moment Robin had taught her she could believe in second chances but yet again she'd ended up with a broken heart. She couldn't risk believing there was a child growing inside her. If there wasn't it would be to painful of a let down. "I can't," she whispered, shaking her head.

"Well I can. I can believe enough for the both of us." Snow reached for one of Regina's hand, squeezing gently once she had it clasped within her own. "Come on." She tugged Regina away from the entrance to the diner.

"Where are we going?" Regina demanded as Snow pulled her along the slick side-walk. Her steps faltered when Snow said they were going to her apartment, where there was a pregnancy test sitting underneath the bathroom sink. "Why do you have a pregnancy test under your sink?"

"Well, when we first came back and we couldn't remember the last year I got a little freaked out. I made David buy a couple. Silly, I know. It was pretty obvious I was pregnant. I guess part of me just wanted to pee on that little stick and see those two little lines." A little giggle erupted from Snow as she tugged Regina up the stairs to her apartment.

Fear wrapped around Regina's heart as she followed Snow inside. David stood in the kitchen preparing a bottle while Henry paced the living room with the whimpering baby. "That was a rather quick meeting," David teased as he walked over to Henry. He expertly shifted the newborn from Henry's arms into his own. The whimpering stopped as Neal's little mouth found the nipple of the bottle.

"Oh we haven't had the meeting yet. Regina and I just need to get something real quick and then we're heading back to the diner." Snow flashed him a brilliant smile before bowing her head to press a soft kiss to the brow of her son. "I love you, my sweet, darling little prince."

Emotion thickened in Regina's throat. She couldn't help but look at her son and remember a time when Henry had fit in the nook of her arm. She'd called him her precious boy. It wasn't until years later she realized just how precious he had been to her. By then Emma had come into the picture and Regina was forced to share the coveted title of 'mom.' "Mom?" Henry walked towards her, a smile on his face. "If its alright with you, I thought I might sleep at our house tonight. I kinda miss my old room." She closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She didn't know if he really missed his old room or not and she didn't really care. Her son was coming home.

"Of course," Regina said hoarsely, rubbing her thumb across the apple of his cheek. She couldn't resist smoothing her other hand over his hair. Behind Henry, Snow cleared her throat and nodded towards the bathroom. "I'll be right back," she murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead, before following Snow into the bathroom. What they were about to do was pointless. The test would be negative. Crossing her arms, Regina watched as Snow dug beneath her sink. There were a few choice words muttered before Snow finally let out an exclamation of joy. A few seconds later Snow straightened her body and held a purple and white box towards Regina. Regina stared at it, her heart pounding. "This is ridiculous," she muttered, accepting the box. "It's going to be negative."

"Or," Snow said brightly, "it will be positive and in eight months Neal will have a new best friend."

Regina sank on to the side of the tub, the box cradled in box her hands. "Snow, he's married," she whispered, her eyes burning. "Even if this test is positive it won't change that."

Snow sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She pressed her cheek against Regina's. "You don't know that," she whispered. Her voice was so full of hope that Regina wished she could believe her. "They're not happy, Regina. Surely you can see that. The rest of us do. They're going through the motions of what's expected of them." Regina shook her head. Robin loved Marian. He loved her enough that he would have walked through hell to get her back. He hadn't had to walk through hell. Emma Swan had done it for him. Regina wasn't going to be the one to ruin his second chance with his true love. He deserved to be happy and if being with Marian made him happy then Regina could learn to cope with the painful ache in her soul. "You know what, forget about how Robin will react. Forget about him period if that is what you want to do. Just take the test. And if it's positive, well, you don't need him. You have your family and we'll love this baby so much they won't know what to do with all the love!"

Regina felt her body start to shake as she silently sobbed. This wasn't the first time Snow had called her family but it was the first time the true meaning of the word pierced Regina's heart. All along she could have had this relationship with Snow. She took a deep breath and stood up. "Turn around," she directed as she opened the box. She waited until Snow had done as she asked before unzipping her black pants and shoving them, along with her lace panties, down. Her heart raced as she tried to concentrate on peeing on the little stick. It wasn't until Snow flicked on the sink facet and she heard the running water that she was able to wet the testing strip. She carefully put the lid back on and set the test face down on the side of the sink. And now the waiting began. Regina tried to focus on washing her hands and tucking her blouse back into her slacks but she mind was on the little bit of purple and white plastic.

The test said to wait five minutes before checking for results. Regina couldn't remember five minutes ever feeling so long. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and flipped the test over. Her eyes started to burn as she stared at the results. "This can't be right," she muttered, gripping the test so tightly the palm of her hand started to burn.

"They're ninety-nine point nine percent accurate, Regina. It isn't wrong." Snow smiled sweetly. Squeezing her eyes shut, Regina tried to swallow the lump of emotions that had formed in her throat. She didn't care what Snow said. The test had to be wrong. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked down at the test one last time. Two lines. Two very distinct, life altering lines.


	9. Of Snowballs and Revelations

_Author's Note: This is the third time I have sat down to write this chapter. The first version was too dark. The second version was too light. I think I found the perfect balance here. I would like to take this opportunity to express my complete and total gratitude to everyone who has read, followed, favorited, reviewed, or encouraged me with this story. I was a little scared to post this story as I tend to be a bit darker than some other writers. It turns out if ever there was a fandom who enjoyed dark angst it is the Once Upon A Time fandom! Thank you for that! _

_Dedication: For Shirona. She comes up with the most amazing one liners and has graciously allowed me the use of her hen-pecking. (This will make sense after you read the chapter!)_

Chapter Nine

Of Snowballs and Revelations

A cold gust of wind blew in off ice covered ocean, cutting through the heavy jacket Robin had donned before stepping outside. He hadn't planned on leaving the room above the diner but the walls of the small room had started closing in on him; or rather his thoughts had started closing in on him. He couldn't shake Marian's confession from the night before. Once the shock had worn off it hit home: his wife was dead. The woman Emma brought back wasn't the Marian he had known and loved. His marriage hadn't been perfect and most of that had been his fault. He'd been hell bent on showing the world that he was nothing like his social elitist father. His legacy would be taking from materialistic jackasses like his father and giving to the more deserving, hard workers who were barley getting by. He'd denounced any claim to his father's title, the Earl of Huntingdon. It had given him immense satisfaction to hear that his father went into a rage every time he was told of his son's latest robbery. Not once during all of that had Robin thought about what his life choices meant for Marian. She'd defied her parents to marry him, and while she had never complained, he had known she missed her mother; especially once she became pregnant. It was during her pregnancy it all started to change; he could see that now. Instead of being allowed to assist with heists, she'd been made to stay at the camp. Even after Roland was born, Robin had insisted she be the one to keep watch over the camp. Most of that insistence had stemmed from how ill she'd been during the pregnancy. At one point he had thought she would die. He'd been forced to break into the Dark One's castle to steal a wand that could heal her. Was it any wonder he had been so protective of her? The one time he had relented had been the Maleficent job. Marian had argued and argued until he finally relented; Arthur would stay at the camp with Roland and Marian would come along as their watchman.

"Hurry papa!" Roland's tiny voice broke through his thoughts and reminded him that he wasn't alone. His son hadn't been any happier cooped up in that room than he had been. A trip to the park had seemed like the perfect solution. As another gust of wind rushed past them Robin found himself second guessing his decision. Was it too cold for Roland to be out? He'd bundled the small boy up in a thick jacket Granny swore was in the lost and found, but the name _Henry Mills_ was embroidered on the inside and there had been a wool cap and mittens with their tags still attached. It wouldn't have done any good to ask Granny if Regina had been the one to leave the warmer clothing for Roland because the old woman wouldn't have admitted anything. Robin knew though, deep in his gut he knew. Regina had never made her adoration for Roland a secret. It made sense that she would want to be sure he was warm enough and that she would do it in a way that didn't feel like charity."I hear kids! I hear Grace!"

Robin bit back a chuckle. Grace. Of course. They had met the older girl on their first trip to the park. She'd been sweet about showing Roland how to play on all the different structures that made up the playground. During it all she'd been free with details about her life. Her mother was gone; most likely dead. Her father's name was Jefferson and he used to work for the Queen. There had only been one Jefferson in the Enchanted Forest worth remembering, and that one had been better known as the Mad Hatter. Robin had heard rumors of an enchanted mirror, a head severing, and psychotic behavior. Whether any of it was true, he didn't know. He didn't want to know. He'd learned rather quickly in Storybrooke that people weren't always who they had seemed to be in the Enchanted Forest. He certainly wasn't the same man. "I'm quite sure Grace isn't going anywhere," Robin assured Roland when his son begged him to hurry for a second time.

"She might," Roland pleaded. "She might decide she don't like me no more like Regina did."

A cotton-like dryness filled Robin's mouth as they neared the park. He had known Roland missed Regina; it was the source of many an argument with Marian. He just hadn't realized Roland thought he wasn't seeing Regina anymore because Regina didn't like him. "Regina still likes you," he said hoarsely.

"Then how come we don't see her no more? Is it cause Marian don't like her?"

Marian, not Mama. Robin let out a sigh. He'd given up on correcting his young son when it came to calling Marian 'Mama.' It was obvious that it hurt Marian when Roland called her by her first name, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Roland would have to form the attachment on his own. There had been a few times when Roland would remember the lady who had come to live with them was his mother but more often than not she was just a strange named Marian. Robin could relate to that sentiment. Marian had become a stranger to him as well. She was still his wife though. "Regina has been really busy helping Snow with her new baby," he lied. It was the first time he had ever told his son an out and out lie; it wasn't a good feeling.

"I want a new baby," Roland giggled, the response seeming to satisfy him. He yanked his hand free from Robin's and took off at a run towards the playground. Robin watched him go, wondering when _his_ baby had stopped being a baby. It seemed to have happened in a blink of an eye. He'd always known the day would come, he just hadn't expected it to be so soon. Nor had he expected Roland to ask for a new baby. A new baby. A bemused smirk curved Robin's lips. He wanted to call Roland back and ask him where he thought they could get a new baby. The smirk wobbled a little bit as Roland ran up to and hugged Henry Mills. The two boys had only met twice; yet in those two meetings they had formed a bond that Robin could only call brotherly. He couldn't help but search the playground for..._her_. Regina. She stood on the opposite side of the park talking to Tinkerbell and man who had to be Grace's father, Jefferson. Robin felt his fist clench as the other man leaned his head close to Regina's and said something that made her laugh. He had no right to feel anything for her, let alone get jealous of another man making her laugh. No matter what Marian had done, no matter how he felt about her, she was still his wife.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Robin tried to shift his focus onto something other than Regina. It was impossible. No matter where he looked he kept being drawn back to her. She was no longer laughing. Her face held the same sad, serious look it had held last night at the town meeting. He felt a prick to his heart as she frowned over something Tinkerbell was saying. The frown quickly turned into a look of shock as a ball of snow smashed into the side of Tinkerbell's face.

Raising one mitten covered hand to swipe the remnants of the snow from her face, Tinkerbell shot a furious look towards the children. "Which one of you did it?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. "So, I'm to believe that snowball threw itself?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared. The children stared back. "I'm a fairy," she said. "Do you know what that means?" They shook their heads. "It means I can do this!" She pulled out her wand and pointed it towards one of the smaller snow drifts. Robin watched in amazement as the snow shimmered a pale green before slowly rising from the ground. It started to whirl, forming a small tornado of snow. It spun faster and faster before bursting into a glittery snow fall over the children.

"Do it again," Roland cried, spreading his arms wide and spinning in a circle.

"Sorry love but I'm a one trick a day fairy and that was my one trick for the day." Tinkerbell slid the wand back inside her jacket before turning her attention back towards Regina. "Remind me again why we're freezing our asses off?"

"Henry," Regina answered simply. She reached up with one leather clad hand and adjusted the royal purple scarf that was wrapped around her neck.

"Right. Of course. The boy wants to freeze to death so hey, why don't we join him? By the way, you do realize Roland is here, yes? Which means one or both of his parents aren't far behind."

The moment the words left Tinkerbell's lips Regina's gaze collided with his. He couldn't help but remember the conversation they'd had shortly after Zelena's defeat. Regina's walls had crumbled and she had opened herself up to him. She'd spoke of things he was certain she had never spoke of with anyone else, except, perhaps, Tinkerbell. If anyone, Marian included, had told him a fairy had said they were Fated to be together he would have laughed. He'd believed in Fate his whole life but hadn't thought something as powerful as Fate cared about his love life. He knew differently now. Every look. Every touch. Every kiss. He'd felt a connection that couldn't be described. The one time they'd made love it had been magic. Pure magic. Their hearts had beat as one. He'd literally felt their souls intertwining. He felt that same connection now. He took a step towards her only to have her look away. "We should talk," he called carefully, his heart pounding."It's about Roland. He thinks you don't like him anymore."

"By all means," Jefferson smirked, quirking one brow up. "Let's talk about me no longer liking Roland...or rather Roland's father." Tinkerbell shot him a hard look and shook her head. "What? Am I not allowed to jest?"

"When your nickname is the Mad Hatter, no you're not allowed to jest," Tinkerbell taunted.

"This, coming from the fairy who just used her wand to dump snow on a bunch of children."

Regina pressed the fingertips of her right hand against her forehead. "The two of you are worse than Charming and Hook," she bit out.

"I beg to differ," Tinkerbell gasped. "Charming is a hen-pecked house husband and Hook...well...let's just say I know him well enough to know I am nothing like him."

"And exactly how well do you know the pirate," Jefferson questioned. Narrowing her eyes, Tinkerbell shot him a look that was colder than the ice that covered the ocean. "Ah. I see."

"What? What do you see?" demanded Tinkerbell. "We were friends! Friends! Nothing more. Just because you don't know how to be friends with someone of the opposite sex doesn't mean the rest of us aren't capable."

"The last time I tried being 'friends' with someone of the opposite sex it landed me in Wonderland with my head cut off!"

"Are you still dwelling on that?" Regina crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Jefferson. "Really, Jefferson, that was how long ago? I've apologized. What more do you want? A purple lollipop? Maybe a kitten or two?"

Placing two fingers between his lips, Robin let out a whistle. The other three adults quieted their bickering and turned to stare at him. "Milady, I was serious. Roland believes you no longer care for him."

"Milady," Tinkerbell teased, her blue eyes sparkling. She turned to glare at Jefferson. "Come along, Hatter. If I stay out here much longer my wings are going to freeze off."

"Grace," Jefferson called. The girl dropped the snowball she had been about to throw and joined her father.

Robin waited until they were gone and the boys were once again engrossed in throwing snowballs at once another before moving closer to where Regina still stood. The first thing he noticed was the dark circles under her eyes, as though she hadn't been getting enough sleep. She also looked as though she had dropped some weight. She'd been petite to begin with and couldn't afford the lost pounds. "You know I still care for...Roland." The words were thick with emotion.

"Aye," he nodded. He scrubbed a hand down his face and fought the urge to yawn. Now that they were face to face the exhaustion of trying to avoid one another crept in. He felt his body growing heavy, his shoulders physically slumping. "Roland misses you." _I miss you._

Her dark eyes shown bright with unshed tears. "I miss him to," she whispered. She turned her upper body towards the park and called out Roland's name. Robin watched as his son came running towards them, a wide grin on his face. Regina crouched down so she could envelope him in a hug. "I've missed you," she told him, pressing kisses along his temple. It was a harsh thing to do, but Robin couldn't stop himself from comparing the way Regina greeted Roland and how Roland responded to how Marian was with their son. Marian loved Roland, there was no denying that, yet she always seemed slightly distant. There were no red lipstick kisses on cheeks or loving hands roaming to be sure all buttons were buttoned and zippers zipped.

"Papa says you been busy with the new baby," Roland pouted. Regina's eyes widened and the blood drained from her face. For a second Robin thought she was going to faint. "Henry says his name is Neal. Maybe one time when your busy with Neal you can be busy with me and I can be busy with the new baby to."

"Snow's new baby," Regina murmured. "Yes. Of course. I'm sure Snow wouldn't mind. That is if you're parents don't mind."

"Papa don't mind," Roland said without sparing so much as a glance in Robin's direction.

"Be that as it may, your mama might," Regina gently reminded. She smoothed one black gloved hand down Roland's rosy cheek.

"Mama's gone," the little boy whispered. "I heard her and papa yelling last night and now she's gone."

Marian wasn't gone. She hadn't come back to the room, but she was far from gone. Emma had caught him earlier in the diner to tell him she'd had David unlock the jail so Marian could borrow one of the cots for the night. Robin didn't want to think about the memories that sleeping in a jail cell would have brought back for Marian. It had been her choice though. She'd refused Emma's offer to sleep in Henry's bed at Snow's and she hadn't even bothered to ask if she could sleep in the room Robin had rented. "She's not gone my boy, she just..." Robin paused. He'd already lied to Roland once. Did he do it again?

"She was helping Miss Swan," Regina said for him. "She was guarding the sheriff's last night."

Roland's face lit up. "Really?" Regina nodded. "Can I go play again?"

Straightening her body, Regina wrapped her arms around the middle of her stomach. There was something protective about the way she did it. He wanted to ask if she was feeling alright as there was a piqued look about her, as though she were on the verge of throwing up. "Emma text me last night," she said without looking at him. "She found Marian crying in the alley behind Granny's."

"We had a fight. Not my doing, I might add," Robin said defensively.

"What goes on between you and your _wife _is none of my concern." She gave him a sad smile before calling for Henry. Robin watched with an aching heart as the pair walked out of the park. She hadn't even let him explain that his marriage was over or why it was over. Squaring his shoulders, Robin asked Roland if he was ready to head back to the diner. The little boy's face fell, disappointment stamped across his features, but he nodded anyway.

The walk back to the diner seemed colder than the walk to the park. Which was strange as the wind had died down. It was the air, Robin decided. The air was thick with frost. Almost too thick. He ignored any protests Roland might make and scooped his son up in his arms. To his surprise Roland wrapped his arms around his neck and clung to him, his little body trembling. Robin held him closer, tightening his hold. "Daddy," Roland whispered, his eyes large as he stared in the direction of the library. Robin followed his gaze and felt his heart plummet. _She _stood just outside the library's double doors. Her hair was the palest blonde and her eyes, the same crystalline blue as her shimmering gown, were as hard and cold as ice. He didn't have to ask who she was. He knew. She was Fate. And from the way she was staring at him, he had a feeling he was about to get to know her better than he would like.


	10. Bittersweet

_Author's Note: TRUST ME! Please... (mostly filler but will move the story along nicely) _

Chapter Ten

Bittersweet

Marian stared at the woman in the dull mirror that hung over the sink in the small room Emma had called a bathroom. The woman staring back was a stranger. There were some familiar attributes, like the long dark braid that hung over her shoulder, but everything else was as unknown to her as the new land she found herself in. It wasn't just the flannel shirt, blue jeans, and boots Emma had loaned her that made her confused about who she really was; it was facing the truth about why she was still alive. Bracing her hands on the edge of the sink, she bowed her head and squeezed her eyes shut as a steady stream of scalding tears coursed down her cheeks.. Her breath came in little gasps as she tried to control the panic that was starting to wash over her. She'd known the truth Robin had been so desperate to have would be their undoing. She hadn't been wrong. The look on his face when she told him that she had agreed to lure Snow White to the Evil Queen's castle in exchange for a second chance at her own life had made it perfectly clear that any chance of her marriage surviving was gone. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself upright and swiped at her cheeks. There was much that needed to be done and standing around crying over something she had brought upon herself wouldn't accomplish any of it.

"You alright?" The genuine concern on Emma's face was almost too much to bear. A deeper form of guilt started to creep through Marian's soul as she stood facing the daughter of the woman she had helped kill. Emma had been nothing but kind to her. Saving her from the Evil Queen's dungeon. Reuniting her with Robin and Roland. Offering her a place to stay, no questions asked. Loaning her clothing to wear so she could be warm and fit in. It was too much. If the Evil Queen would have succeeded in killing Snow White the beautiful, sweet woman standing before her wouldn't exist. "Marian? You okay?"

"I..." How did she answer Emma's question? A stronger person would tell her the truth. Marian didn't think she was that strong. She'd already lost Robin by telling the truth and look where that had gotten her. Her own husband had turned on her. What could be gained from telling Emma about the deal she had made? _The weight of it all being lift from your shoulders,_ she thought. "I'm sorry Emma," she whispered. "I wish I could tell you. Truly I do. I just...I can't."

Emma stared at Marian, her bright blue eyes roaming over Marian's face. "Alright," she said slowly. There was no disguising the disappointment in her eyes. It added to the guilt bearing down on Marian's shoulders. "Did I ever tell you I have this...super power...where I can tell when someone is lying?" Marian shook her head, her eyes widening. She felt her hands start to shake as she twisted her fingers in the hem of the flannel shirt she wore. "Relax, will you? I'm just saying I already know you're keeping something and I also know confession is good for you. So, if you change your mind and you want to talk, I'm here."

Staring at the floor, Marian felt the now familiar internal tug of war. She couldn't help but think that death had to be better than the guilt that constantly plagued her. For a moment she allowed herself to believe that she could tell Emma the truth of why she had been in that cell and that Emma would understand. The moment passed in silence because Marian was no fool and she knew Emma's reaction would be one of disgust. She longed to tell Emma that confession wasn't always good for the person confessing. Sometimes when a person confessed they lost everything they hold dear. "I need to go," she murmured, reaching for the warm jacket Emma had insisted she take almost a week ago. Without waiting to see if Emma had more to say, Marian rushed outside.

Ducking her head down against the wind, Marian hunched her shoulders and shoved her hands deep into the pockets of the jeans she wore. She knew that wandering around town on her own when Fate was lurking about probably wasn't the safest move but at this point she no longer cared if Fate caught up with her. She would love the opportunity for Fate for correct whatever wrongs might have been committed on her behalf. Anything had to be better than living with the guilt and the knowledge that the man she loved no longer loved her. Perhaps that was the hardest part of all this. Time had gone by for Robin. He'd mourned her death. He'd raised their son. He'd met someone else. A lump of emotion formed in Marian's throat as she thought about her husband and the Evil Queen. No. Regina. She needed to start thinking of her as Regina. Emma had sworn the Evil Queen no longer existed, that Regina was as much a hero as Snow White. It was difficult to accept, but Marian knew it must be true because Robin wouldn't have fallen for the woman known as The Evil Queen. He had too much honor to be lured in by a beautiful face and a title. Which meant, difficult as it was to accept, the Queen had changed.

Pausing at the curb of the street, Marian watched as a horseless carriage rushed by. She'd yet to ride in one and didn't think she would ever be brave enough to. Once she was certain she wouldn't be struck down she hurried across the road to Granny's. Going there was probably a mistake, especially since she was looking for the queen. There were things that must be discussed and Marian had decided the conversation should take place while she was still feeling crazy enough to confront the woman who been known as The Evil Queen. Granny's seemed like the best place to start looking for her. She didn't make it to the diner door before she spotted the woman she was looking for standing by a trash can. Marian watched, a slight frown on her face, as Regina coughed, gagged, and threw up. She closed her eyes and muttered a curse under her breath. To the casual observer it probably looked as though the other woman had eaten something that didn't agree with her. Marian wasn't a casual observer. Years as a look out for Robin and his Merry Men had taught her to look for the smallest detail. In this case, it was the way Regina cradled one hand protectively over her lower abdomen. It was a gesture Marian had done numerous times herself...when she was pregnant.

"Apple tea," she said softly, walking over to were Regina stood. She couldn't explain her sudden shift in feelings towards Regina other than she knew the baby Regina carried was Roland's brother or sister. "Apple tea," she said again when Regina shot her a confused look. "When I was pregnant with Roland apple tea helped settle my stomach." Marian shook her head and held up one hand in protest. "Don't deny it. I know a pregnant lady when I see one. How far along are you?"

"Not far," Regina murmured.

"The first twelve weeks are the worse. It gets better after that. Until then, apple tea." Marian's tongue darted out and swiped across her lips. She wanted to ask if Robin knew about the baby but decided she already knew the answer. Robin was clueless. She could understand why Regina hadn't said anything. Which made Emma's assertion that Regina had changed all the more palpable. "I...I would like for us to talk. About Roland, if you please." Regina stared at her for moment before nodding. She took a step towards the diner door, her body swaying slightly. Marian reached out for the other woman's arm, her finger tips barely grazing the soft cashmere of Regina's coat, before Regina crumpled to the ground. Heart pounding, Marian looked around. The street was eerily empty. She caught sight of a familiar pair of broad shoulders and small head covered in dark curls. "Robin," she screamed, crouching down next to Regina. The diner bell jingled and a boy yelled for his mom. Marian ignored both as she brushed a lock of silky dark hair from Regina's forehead. "Please be okay," she whispered. She didn't know if she was praying for the woman lying on the ground or the baby she carried. _Both_, she thought. She was praying for both.

"What happened?" Robin demanded, dropping down next to her. She heard Roland burst into tears and ask what was wrong with Regina. Marian reached for him, her heart shattering when her son pushed her hand away and reached for the boy who had exited the diner. She recognized him as Henry, the boy Emma and Regina both called son. "Marian, what happened?"

"She...she fainted," she answered. "We were talking...or we were going to talk...and she fainted." Her heart started beating wildly as a crowd started to gather around them. She heard a wailing sound in the distance and fought the urge to clap her hands over her ears. Her own stomach knotted up as people started whispering about magic. Marian's eyes met Robin's. "It's not magic," she whispered.

"You don't know that," Robin whispered back fiercely as he carefully gathered Regina into arms.

Closing her eyes, Marian said a silent prayer that Regina really had changed and wouldn't seek retribution. "It's not magic. She fainted because she's pregnant."

**You will find out about Robin's run in with Elsa in the next chapter! I promise! **


	11. Just Breath

_Author's Note: The last line of the last chapter sort of changed the whole story. It changed Marian as well. I can't wait for us to dig into this second part of the story! (I'm not real thrilled with my writing in this chapter. It is sort of meh but I do like how things played out so...just forgive the poor writing.)_

_P.S. To the reviewer who brought up wasting the Elsa/Fate, Anna/Destiny storyline...I don't feel it has been wasted. The whole story hasn't been told. They are key components to the rest of the tale. Have a little faith. I will follow through. _

Chapter Eleven

Just Breath

"_It's not magic. She's pregnant." _

The words echoed in Robin's head like a broken record as he stood watching the gurney Regina was strapped to being loaded into the back of the ambulance. He could see David's mouth moving but couldn't hear anything the other man was saying. All he could hear was Marian's voice telling him that Regina was pregnant. A strong hand cupped him on the shoulder and gave him a hard shake. He blinked and turned to find David standing close enough that they were almost nose to nose. "Tinkerbell's going to ride with her," David said quietly. Robin shook his head. If anyone was going to ride in the ambulance with her it was going to be him. He started towards the emergency vehicle only to be blocked by David. "Tinkerbell is going to ride with her," he repeated, the grip he had on Robin's shoulder tightening. "You're going take Roland inside to Granny and calm him down. After that I'll give you a ride to the hospital."

Robin wanted to argue with him. He wanted to tell the other man that his first priority was making sure the woman he loved and their unborn child was alright. Everything in him went still. He was in love with Regina. He hadn't known what it was he felt because the idea of falling in love with someone so quickly had seemed preposterous. Faced with almost losing her, he was also faced with admitting how deep his feelings went. "She'll be alright," he heard Marian whisper.

"You don't know that," he snapped without thinking. Marian took a step back, her dark eyes wide. His blood started to boil as David told him to get control of himself and to stop taking it out on Marian. A bitter laugh formed in his throat. Prince Charming was defending the very woman who would have gladly let Snow White die. The irony was almost more than Robin could stand. For a moment he entertained the idea of telling Marian's secret. The moment was fleeting. She was still Roland's mother and betraying another's trust went against everything Robin stood for. He shifted his attention to his small son. Roland climbed back up into arms and clung to his neck. "She'll be alright," he murmured. He didn't know if he was reassuring Roland or himself.

"Let me see the boy, Robin." Little John stepped forward, his arms outstretched. Reluctantly, Roland went to the larger man. "We'll get some of that creamed ice you were speaking of. Would you like Roland? Some creamed ice?"

"Ice cream," Roland corrected between sniffles.

Robin pressed a quick kiss to his son's forehead before turning to follow David to the old truck he drove around. It wasn't until he was opening the passenger side door that he realized Marian had followed. "You're not going," he growled.

"Yes I am. Whether I ride with you and His Majesty or I find another way, I am going." Marian's chin raised a notch.

"Why?" Robin demanded. "Why is it so important that you go?" He expected some hot retort about being able to go anywhere she pleased, instead he got a softly murmured concern for Roland's brother or sister. A cold sweat broke out across his upper lip as it suddenly started sinking in. Regina was pregnant. He couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the fact that she had to of known she was pregnant when they ran into one another at the park. She hadn't said a word about the baby. The thought stayed with him as they drove the short distance to the Storybrooke Community Hospital. Had Regina not wanted him to know they were going to have a child? He refused to believe that was it. It had to be because of Marian. Regina had probably gotten some misplaced noble idea in her head that if she told him about their child it would ruin his chances at rebuilding a life with Marian. She couldn't have known that Marian had ruined that chance all on her own. Or had she? Robin frowned. Had he really given his second chance with Marian an actual chance? Or had he been waiting for the right moment to end things? Robin glanced over at his wife's profile. He didn't know what he was expecting when he looked at her but it wasn't the calm certainty that he no longer had to feel obligated to the woman next to him. She wasn't the adventurous lass he had married. That girl died at the base of a mountain as far as he was concerned. He'd mourned that girl. It would that girl he would remember and cherish.

Tinkerbell was pacing the small waiting area adjacent to the Emergency Room. With her wavy blonde hair frizzing in every direction and her luminous blue eyes red rimmed from crying she looked nothing like the sassy fairy Robin had met in Granny's diner. There was a weariness about her that seemed almost human. She spun around when David called her name. "She's dehydrated," she answered before any of them could ask how Regina was doing. "Whale's going to start an I.V. to replace some of the fluids she's lost. I believe he also spoke of doing an ultrasound to make sure the baby is doing alright." She pushed her hands into her hair, frizzing it out even more. "She asked for Snow," she said quietly, her clear blue eyes meeting David's for a second. "I didn't know if..."

"Snow is on her way. Emma's going to stay with Neal and Henry."

Nodding, Tinkerbell sank onto one of the orange vinyl chairs that lined the wall. She clasped her hands in front of her and let out a sigh. "She's going to be fine," she whispered. "She's going to be just fine. They both are."

"Here." A cup of coffee was thrust into Robin's hand by Jefferson. Robin stared down at it, his fist tightening around the thin foam until he felt a splash of scalding liquid against the back of his hand. Muttering a curse, he tossed the cup into the nearest trash can. He didn't want or need anything from the man known as The Mad Hatter. As soon as Tinkerbell had said his name in the park Robin had known exactly who, or what, Jefferson had been to the Evil Queen. Everyone in the Enchanted Forest had known about the strange milliner who could use a hat to create portals to other realms. There had also been rumors of Jefferson and the Queen being lovers. Robin hadn't thought, or cared, much about the rumors when they were circulating throughout the forest, but now, in Storybrooke, he found that he very much cared. He didn't hold Regina's former relationships against her, he wasn't exactly "pure" himself, but that didn't mean he wanted Jefferson anywhere near Regina. Especially now, when her health was fragile and there was a baby to consider. "A simple no thank you would have been sufficient," Jefferson mused.

"No thank you," Robin retorted icily. Jefferson shot him an amused smirk before walking over to where Tinkerbell sat. He bent at the waist, offering her the cup he held in his other hand. Tinkerbell shot him a watery smile before accepting it. Robin felt his brow furrow. He'd seen that smile before and it hadn't been on Tinkerbell. He shook it off. That was something for him to ponder and worry about at another time. Right now his focus was on finding and being there for Regina. Without saying a word, he strode in the direction Little John had been taken the night he had turned into a flying monkey. It made sense that they would bring Regina in the same direction. His hunch proved correct when he heard Whale barking an order at a nurse. A second later a door at the end of the hall opened and a woman wearing white hurried out. She looked a bit like one of the chambermaids from his father's estate, which was impossible. _Or_, he wondered as she past by and gave him a wide eyed look of recognition, _maybe not so impossible._ Another thing to worry about later.

"...need to start taking better care of yourself. If you don't this is going to be a long, miserable pregnancy." Whale lectured as Robin carefully pushed open the door to the exam room. The doctor glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "It would appear you have a guest."

Robin felt his heart constrict as he took in the image of Regina propped up on a hospital bed. There was a frailty about her that he had somehow overlooked at the park. He felt a lump of regret and guilt forming in his stomach. Silently, he stepped forward and grabbed the rolling stool Whale had just vacated. He pulled it up close to the bed and sat down. Regina's chocolate brown eyes met his blue ones. There were too many things shining in those eyes for him to make sense of them all. The things that stood out the most were fear, regret, and love. _You have nothing to fear because I am here to chase away the darkness._ His fingers reached for hers, melding their two hands together. _We'll face the regrets together. _Raising their entwined fingers to his mouth, he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. _You're not just my soul mate. You're my true love. _

"You know?" Regina whispered. Tears filled her dark eyes as he nodded. She pressed her head back against the pillow, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. "I wanted to tell you. I just didn't know when or how." Her head raised a bit as she looked at him, their eyes meeting once more. "I'm so sorry," she choked. A solitary tear ran down her cheek. "I...I didn't know I even could...and I know this isn't what..." Robin silenced her by leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers. When he pulled back he used his free hand to wipe away the tears that clung to her cheek.

"There is nothing to be sorry for," Robin murmured, gently running the pad of his thumb down her jawline. He hesitated for a moment before pressing their combined hands against her flat abdomen. "Don't you see," he said softly, "this baby is a gift. Fate is giving us a new life."

Fate. Robin thought back to the moments right before Marian had screamed his name. He'd met Fate face to face. She'd been beautiful, so full of both life and death. She'd known him by name. She knew everyone by name. She knew every second of their lives. His first instinct had been to run but then she smiled at him. He'd never seen such a beautiful smile, except for on the woman whose hand he was holding. He'd called her Fate and she had told him to call her Elsa. _You've nothing to fear from me,_ she'd told him. She walked over to him and grabbed his arm. She'd pushed up his sleeve, revealing the tattoo of his family crest that his father had marked him with when he was but twelve years old. With the tip of one gloved finger she had traced it. _Strange isn't it? How something you hated and resented became the symbol of something written in the stars. _Her words had confused him. He'd wanted to ask her what she meant but Marian's scream had pieced through the air. Elsa had dropped his arm and her smile had widen. _You better hurry. You're Fate is waiting for you._ There had been no time to analyze what she meant. Sitting by Regina's side it all made sense. The tattoo his father had used to mark him as Locksley property had become a symbol of his love for Regina; a love that had been written in the stars long before they met.

"Marian-" Regina started only to let her words trail off as the door was flung open. Snow ran in, her cheeks flushed.

"Regina," she breathed, engulfing the other woman in a tight embrace. "I thought you were done trying to kill me," Snow teased, a sweet smile tipping the corners of her lips as she cupped Regina's face in her hands. "Although, I have to say practically giving me a heart attack by fainting outside of Granny's diner is a new and creative way to go about it."

"If I had wanted you dead..."

Snow laughed. "Yes, I know I would be dead." She leaned in for another hug, lingering long enough to whisper something in Regina's ear. Regina nodded when Snow pulled back. "I'm glad," she said, her smile widening as she turned to look at Robin. "This is the part where I remind you she's my family and if you hurt her again I am almost as good with a bow and arrow as you are."

"Point taken, milady," Robin smiled ruefully.

"Just so we're clear," Snow continued, "you and Marian..."

"Are over," he said firmly. The brilliant smile Snow sent him was shadowed by the guilt he felt over knowing about the agreement Marian had made. Whoever had struck the deal with Marian had wanted both Regina and Snow White to suffer and they had gone to great lengths to try to accomplish it. If there was someone, or something, lurking about, wanting to cause either woman harm, didn't they have the right to know? Didn't that right to know circumvent any guilt he might feel for betraying what Marian had told him in confidence?

"For Roland's sake, I am sorry things didn't work out."

The sweetness in Snow's voice was the deciding factor. Lowering his gaze, he stared at Regina's wrist; at the delicate fluttering of her pulse beneath her skin. "My wife, Roland's mother, died four years ago," he said quietly. He felt his blood starting to race through his veins. "She slid off a cliff outside Maleficent's castle." Lifting his eyes, he forced himself to look at Snow White. "Someone, or something, found her and they offered a deal. A second chance at life if she lured you to the Evil Queen's castle. That is why your daughter found her in the Queen's dungeon." It still hurt too much to tell them that Marian hadn't made the deal so she could come back to him and Roland. He'd come to terms with that fact but he wasn't ready to voice it aloud.

Snow stared at him, her blue eyes unreadable. "There's more, isn't there," she finally stated.

Indeed there was. So much more. More than Robin knew. He played over the conversation again in his mind, looking for any detail he might have left out. "This person or thing seemed to think that by killing you they could destroy the Evil Queen." _They could destroy Regina. _Those were words he couldn't speak aloud.

"Zelena?" Snow asked as she sat on the edge of Regina's hospital bed.

"She's dead," answered Regina. Her voice sounded weak, reminding him they weren't in Snow's parlor, Regina's office, or the diner. They were in the hospital because Regina had fainted.

"Is she," questioned Snow, "because I don't recall ever seeing a body." She rose from the edge of the bed and started towards the door. Regina called after her, asking her where she was going. "I'm going to talk to Marian. I'm going to find out exactly who she made that deal with."

"And then?" There was more strength in Regina's voice this time. She had pushed herself into sitting position, her dark eyes trained on Snow White.

"I don't know. I just know I'm not going to sit here, waiting for whoever she made that deal with to find another way to get to us."


	12. The First Cut Is the Deepest

_Author's Note: Brand new point of view. No matter how I tried to spin it, this chapter had to be told by Snow White. If she is OOC I apologize. Still new to this game. (Still can't believe we are over 100+ reviews for this story!) _

Chapter Twelve

The First Cut is the Deepest

Anger was an emotion Snow White tried to keep from feeling. She'd always found it to be exhausting and, more often than not, useless. As she walked down the short corridor that led from the room where Regina was supposed to be resting to the waiting area, she felt the heaviness of anger wrapping around her heart. Unlike the other times she'd found herself trying to control her temper she didn't feel the need to fight it. The anger coursing through her veins felt justified. She was sick and tired of having to constantly fight for her family to be happy. Time and time again they would triumph over one obstacle only to find another ready to take its place. Not this time. This time her family was going to have more than five minutes of happiness. If it meant getting angry and demanding that Marian tell her who in the hell was trying to destroy her family's happiness this time, then so be it. She would get angry. She was starting to think that maybe anger didn't have to be a bad thing. Zelena stealing Neal moments after he was born had taught her that. She'd been so angry that she had been put in the position of having her newborn ripped from her arms. It hadn't been an exhausting anger or even a useless one. It had felt justified. Someone had done something horrid to her and she'd had the right to be angry about it. This was no different. Someone was after her family and had gone so far as to manipulate a dying woman into helping. Snow knew Regina didn't believe it could be Zelena, but she wasn't as convinced. There had been no body, just an empty cell and, according to David, a questionable surveillance video.

"How is she?"

The question came from Tinkerbell and Snow knew it was rude to ignore her, but her sole focus was on Robin's 'back from the dead' wife. Marian scrambled to her feet as Snow approached her. Her dark eyes widened, her lips parted as though she were about to speak but no words came out. "Who was it?" Snow demanded, her nostrils flaring delicately as she fought for control of the anger that was building inside her.

"I don't know," Marian shook her head, her eyes widening even more. _I don't know_. As far as answers went it wasn't good enough. At least not for Snow. "I'm swear, your majesty. I don't know who she was."

"She. So it was a woman." Crossing her arms, Snow waited for Marian to elaborate. It didn't take long for the story to start pouring out. Robin and his men breaking into Maleficent's castle. The noise in the woods. Falling down the cliff. Lying there, waiting to die. The woman seemed to come from no where_. _She'd knelt next to Marian and told her she could give her a second chance; all Marian had to do was help her destroy the Evil Queen. It had seemed like a fair enough exchange. There weren't many who didn't want the Evil Queen's head on a platter. Marian had agreed. She'd wanted the opportunity to live, to see if there was more to life than following around a husband who didn't have time for her and taking care of a child she hadn't been sure she wanted. She had been selfish, she was the first to admit that. She hadn't known until after she struck the deal that the plan would include allowing the Evil Queen to kill Snow White.

"You were going to lead my wife to slaughter?" The rage quivering in David's voice surpassed the anger roiling in Snow's stomach. She placed a comforting hand in the middle of his chest, a silent request for him to stand down, to allow her to handle the situation. There were some who viewed this aspect of their relationship and seen David as less of a man for complying. Snow knew the truth. Sometimes David's more aggressive approach was what was needed and worked. Other times her quieter approach got results. This was one of those times when a soft touch was needed.

"Yes," Marian whispered. Tension filled the air at the admission. "I had already struck the deal and thought of dying terrified me." She sought out Snow's gaze, her dark eyes begging for understanding. "She made it sound as though your death would be for the greater good. She said the only way to destroy the Evil Queen was to make sure she never had a happy ending and that in order for that happen you had to die by the Evil Queen's hand."

Every muscle in Snow's body tensed. There was only one person that she knew of that would go to such great lengths to destroy any chance of Regina finding happiness. "Zelena," Snow whispered. "It was Zelena."

Marian's lips parted but instead of words a trickle of blood formed at the corner of her mouth. She reached up, touched it with her finger tips, and stared at it in horror. For a moment her eyes met Snow's. The fear, pain, and agony burning in her gaze was enough to break the anger and fill Snow with compassion. Snow took a step towards Marian only to stop as the other woman's body convulsed. It looked as though she were splitting into two forms. Sucking in her breath, Snow realized that was exactly what was happening. A moment later, Marian lay in a crumpled heap on the floor and Zelena stood before Snow. "Well now, no point in hiding when I've been found out, is there," she smirked. Slowly, she walked around Snow, looking her over. "So you're the great Snow White. I must say, I'm a little disappointed. I had expected someone a bit more...well a bit _more_."

"You're supposed to be dead," David bit out.

"The Zelena you knew is dead. Luckily, I stumbled upon a conversation between a certain "Princess Leia" and the Dark One. I've never been one to accept failure." Zelena raised her chin a notch and arched an eyebrow. "I suppose you're wondering I how I pulled it off. It was quite simple really. I used the slippers the Wizard had given me. I asked to be taken to the one person who could destroy my darling sister's happily ever after. They took me to Marian. Dear, sweet Marian who was all to willing to help me."

"No," Marian whimpered before a coughing spasm made speaking impossible. Snow dropped down next to her, her heart sinking as a large drops of blooded splatted the stark white tile of the hospital floor. Zelena's possesion of Marian's body had been the only thing keeping Marian alive. It hadn't really been a second chance that had been promised to Marian. It had been a manipulation so Zelena could use her. "Snow," she murmured. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Snow said softly, brushing a lock of hair off Marian's face. She could no longer bring herself to be angry with the woman she held. She herself had once been manipulated by Zelena and knew how convincing the witch could be.

"Aw, how touching! Such a sweet, sweet moment. Better cherish it, dear. She doesn't have much time left." Zelena chuckled and tossed back a mess of reddish blonde hair. "Now, if you don't mind. I have a certain mentor I need to speak with." A green cloud enveloped her and when it cleared she was gone.

"Regina," Marian whispered. "I need to speak with her. Please..."

"Sh," Snow comforted. "Dr. Whale will be here soon and he'll..." Marian shook her head and repeated her plea to speak with Regina. Snow felt tears burning her eyes. Last requests were some of the most powerful. Some were even more powerful than requests made from true love. "Okay," she whispered. "I...I'll be right back." She carefully rose to her feet. She could hear a flurry of activity behind her as she made her way back the way she had come. The walk was different this time. No anger burning in her stomach. No need to tear someone's head off for trying to steal her family's happiness. All she could think was how expensive happiness was. It never came easily and it never came without another's misery.

She paused outside Regina's room. Through tear blurred eyes she watched as Robin bent his head to whisper something to Regina's stomach. The moment was a happy one, and it was one she had to ruin. Clearing her throat, she stepped into the room. "Hey," she said weakly. She wasn't sure she could do it. She wasn't sure she could be the one to destroy the look of joy that was shining on Regina's face. Nor did she think she could be the one to tell Robin that he was about to become a widower for a second time.

"Somethings wrong," Regina stated, sitting up straighter in the bed.

"Zelena." With that one name the whole scene changed. The happiness on Regina's face fell and confusion replaced the joy that had been on Robin's.

"Are you sure?" Snow nodded. It was impossible not to be sure. She's seen the witch with her own eyes. "She's dead. We all seen her..." Regina's voice trailed off, her eyebrows pinching together.

"It's not the same Zelena." Licking her lips, Snow tried to figure out the best way to explain what had just occurred in the waiting area. Taking a deep breath, she carefully told them what had unfolded. Each word she spoke tasted sour in her mouth. There was no emotion on Regina's face and Robin looked shattered. She'd done that. She'd destroyed their happiness. "There's more..." she whispered, thinking of Marian. "When Zelena left Marian's body...Marian reverted back to the condition she was in when Zelena found her."

The sound of chair legs scraping across the floor filled the room as Robin leapt from his chair. Snow pressed herself against the door jam as he ran out the door. She stared after him for a moment, her heart aching, before turning to look at Regina. "She wants to talk to you," Snow forced herself to say. "She's barely breathing...coughing up blood...and she wants to talk to you."

Regina stared at her for a moment before scooting to the edge of the hospital bed. She swung her legs over the side and tentatively stood up. Her body swayed slightly but she steadied herself by grabbing the IV pole. Her face scrunched up as she yanked the IV tubing from the back of her hand. "I don't think I can walk alone," she gulped. Snow hurried to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Leaning on one another, they made their way to the hall. A sigh of relief crossed Snow's lips as they watched Whale and a team of nurses push a gurney holding Marian into the trauma room just down the hall.

"You shouldn't be up," Tinkerbell cried, running towards them.

"She asked for me," Regina said simply.

"You owe her nothing," the fairy spat out.

"That is a matter of opinion, Tink." The softness in Regina's tone left no room for argument and the warning look she shot her friend silenced anything else Tinkerbell might have been about to say. Tinkerbell stepped aside as they walked the rest of the distance to the trauma room.

"They won't let anyone in," Robin said weakly, looking at Snow and Regina with a pained look in his eyes. Snow felt Regina's fingernails digging into her side. She squeezed back, understanding the uncertainty Regina had to be feeling. Snow couldn't help but wonder if it would always be like this. Would Marian always be a barrier between Regina and her happiness with Robin? Snow hoped not. She wanted to Regina to have the same sort of happiness she herself had with David. "They won't even tell us if she'll be alright." A small ray of hope burned in Snow's heart as he closed the distance between where he stood and where Regina was. He nodded at Snow before gathering Regina against his chest, his face buried in her hair.

Whale stepped into the hall and grimaced at the crowd. "I suggest you all convene to the waiting area and let me and my staff do our job. Regina? Robin? She wants to speak with you before we take her into surgery."


	13. Of Confessions and Promises

_Author's Note: This chapter was difficult to write. The whole thing is rather intense and a little heartbreaking. Okay, maybe it is more than a little heartbreaking. Whether you like Marian or not I will be surprised if this chapter doesn't get to you. (Please remember, up till this point Marian has been 'merged' with past Zelena' so she is going to seem different in this chapter) I expect a lot of reviews! So...go! Read! Review! _

Chapter Thirteen

Of Confessions and Promises

An odd sort of ache squeezed Regina's heart as Robin and she stepped into the trauma room. It was strangely quiet even though half of a dozen nurses scurried around; either prepping Marian for surgery or checking and double checking various forms. There was also the unmistakable stench of death hanging in the air. Regina knew the scent well. It had clung to her clothing during her reign as the Evil Queen. The scent of all the peasants she'd killed during her quest to find and kill Snow White. The ache in her heart manifested as she tried to come to terms with the fact that the aroma was coming from Marian, rather than lingering from the last poor soul to occupy the room. There was no love lost between Regina and Robin's wife; in truth she barely knew the woman. The ache in her heart was for the pain she knew Robin and Roland would be feeling when Marian died. She knew what it was like to lose someone twice. There was no other pain like it in the world. If there were a way for her to prevent Robin and Roland from going through it, she would walk gladly do whatever it took. No matter how much pain it would cause, or how much she wanted to take that pain away, dying was Marian's Fate. Zelena might have prolonged it when she merged with Marian in her quest to destroy Regina but there was no way to prevent Fate. Not even Elsa herself could change a person's Fate.

"Robin?" Marian's voice sounded weak. She wasn't much longer in their world. If the weakness in her voice hadn't been evidence enough, the lack of life shining in her soft, brown eyes was. It was just a matter of time. Regina swallowed, silently cursing Marian for asking that she be there for what should be a private good bye between a husband and wife.

"I'm here," Robin said softly. A faint smile spread across Marian's chalk colored lips as Robin gently took her cold hand in his own.

"I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to be sorry for, my love." The pain in his voice was like a dagger to Regina's heart. She felt his agony as keenly as if it were her own. She raised, lowered, and then raised again her right hand, gently touching his bicep in what she hoped was a comforting manner.

"For a thief you are a horrible liar," wheezed Marian. "I love you. Don't ever forget that." Regina closed her eyes and looked downward as Robin bent to press a gentle kiss to Marian's forehead. She felt a lump forming in her throat as she heard Robin murmur that a part of him would always love her. "I want you to promise me something." Regina winced as Robin said 'anything'. She prayed Marian's request would be something Robin could uphold without causing himself misery. "Remember me as I used to be. Tell Roland about _that _Marian. Don't let him know about..." She stopped, gasping from breath. Her lips turned a faint blue. "Regina? Is she here?"

"Yes," Regina managed to croak, stepping closer so Marian could see her. "I'm here."

"Robin, could you leave us? Please?" Hesitation flickered across Robin's face before he nodded his consent. Regina watched him reluctantly leave before she sank onto the rolling stool one of the nurses had nudged towards her. She felt Marian's fingers flutter across her own and she took it as an invite to hold the other woman's hand. "You're just Regina now, aren't you." It wasn't a question, just a wise observation that left Regina feeling a peculiar emotion in the pit of her stomach. She really was 'just' Regina. It was a nice feeling. One she could get used to. "Our Robin loves you," she mumbled. "Don't ever doubt that. Please, I beg of you don't ever doubt that. He needs you as much as you need him." Her body shook as a fit of coughing over took her. Blood laced spittle dribbled out of her mouth. Her lips trembled as she tried to find the breath and the energy to say the rest of what she needed to say. "Make Roland your own," she whispered. "Make...him...your...son..." A soft, breathless sigh whispered past Marian's lips.

Her last, Regina thought hysterically. Tears blurred her eyes she used her free hand to close Marian's vacant eyes. She leaned close, her heart pounding. "I promise," she said softly. "I promise to never doubt Robin's love and I promise that Roland will know a mother's love."


	14. Destiny

Chapter Fourteen

Destiny

Huddling deeper into the Kelly green wool jacket she'd thrown on before stepping outside, Tinkerbell tried to shake the chill that kept trying to sneak into her veins. Granny Lucas had suggested dressing in layers to keep the cold at bay, and Tinkerbell had followed the advice religiously. It didn't help. She could don three or more layers and the cold would still find a way to torment her. Shivering, Tinkerbell ducked her head down and tried to focus on hurrying towards the forest. They were scattering Marian's ashes and Robin had requested her presence. There hadn't been a polite or logical reason to say no, not when everyone, including Regina, would be there. The plan, according to Henry, was to scatter the ashes and then convene back to Granny's diner, where they would discuss why the snow hadn't melted with Marian's passing. The continued onslaught of snow and ice did seem rather strange. Marian was dead; she had met her Fate, which meant the snow should have stopped. It hadn't. If anything it seemed to be coming down even more. Which meant Tinkerbell had been wrong in her assumption that Marian was to blame. She'd been so certain, and she hadn't been the only one. It had just made sense. Emma had brought Marian through the portal to Storybrooke, where she was never meant to be, thus altering Marian's assumed death. It had seemed like the sort of thing that would invoke Elsa's wrath. Except, Tinkerbell recalled with a grimace, that was impossible. Elsa had been missing for the better part of a hundred years. Trapped, it would seem, in some urn that Rumple just so happened to have in his possession. It had been her sister Anna who picked up the slack, guiding Fate, as well as making sure that Destinies were fulfilled. An impossible task if there ever was one.

"You're late," Jefferson accused as she approached the surprisingly large group that had amassed a that the edge of the forest. Narrowing her eyes, Tinkerbell shot the infuriating man a 'don't mess with me' look. "My wife used to have a similar look," he observed, "and as I recall it never worked."

As it did anytime his wife was mentioned, an odd sort of pounding started in the back of her head. Wife. She'd been someones wife once. She'd also been a mother. Most of the people around her didn't know that. They all assumed she'd always been a fairy. They were wrong. Becoming a fairy hadn't been something she'd wanted or would have even decided if the choice had been hers. It had been Anna's way of "saving" her after she'd fallen through the ice on a pond that hadn't fully froze. That was the last real memory she had. She could still hear the ice cracking, could feel the freezing cold water sucking her down, could feel her lungs burning as she tried to hold her breath. The last bit of air had bubbled out of her blue tinged lips when Anna pulled her from the water. It had been obvious that she was dying. She'd accepted it. Anna had disagreed, had said it wasn't her Fate or her Destiny to die that day. Not yet. Not that way. And so, Anna had done the only thing she knew to do: she turned an ordinary girl into a fairy.

"Hey?" A pair of fingers snapped in front of her, drawing her from the memories. "You alright, there? You're looking a little green."

"You know, you're not nearly as funny as you like to think." Scoffing, she stomped away from him and towards Regina. It had been three days since Regina's collapse and Marian's death. If Tinkerbell had had her way, her friend would be curled up in a nice, warm bed, not trouncing through the woods scattering the ashes of a woman she had once tried to execute. Sort of. Tinkerbell frowned. It was getting harder and harder to tell which reality was, well, reality. One thing she knew for certain, Zelena was once again living in the little Farmhouse on the opposite edge of town, no doubt plotting her revenge. They had the advantage this time. Without her pendent, Rumple, or Simian army, Zelena was a sitting duck. It was just a matter of time before they...Tinkerbell frowned. What were they going to do this with Zelena? They couldn't send her back in time. Regina hadn't changed her stance on killing the bitch. Which left them with...what? Tinkerbell made a mental note to raise that question at the meeting.

"I wasn't trying to be funny." Jefferson's breath was hot against her cheek as he leaned close. "You are looking a little green. So, at the risk of being rebuffed a second time, are you alright?"

Blinking her large blue eyes, Tinkerbell stared up at him. Her throat tightened as she took in his strong jaw line, full lips, slightly too large nose, and those shocking blue eyes. He looked so familiar. Like she knew him. Wrinkling her nose, she shook her head. Of course she knew him. He was the Mad Hatter. Everyone knew him. "I'm not fond of the cold," she admitted. "It always feels like its trying to cut right through me."

"Here." She watched as he unwound a blood red scarf from his neck. He draped it around her shoulders before winding it around the scarf she already wore. "Maybe this will help."

"Thank you," Tinkerbell whispered. He nodded, a brief smile on his face. She offered her own weak smile before trying to focus on the words coming from Friar Tucks mouth. The man could be speaking Elfish Gibberish as far as Tinkerbell was concerned, she couldn't hear a single word he said. The sound of ice cracking kept roaring in her mind. She clapped her mitten covered hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.

"It's not just the cold, is it?" A warm, heavy arm settled across her shoulders. Tinkerbell sagged against his side and blinked back tears. He was right. It wasn't just the cold. There memories lurking just beneath the surface and every-time she tried to pull one from the recesses of her mind the cracking ice intervened.

"No," she admitted. "It isn't just the cold."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Tinkerbell thought about it for a moment. Did she want to talk about what was bothering her? Of course. Talking might help. It wasn't an option. Anna had made that perfectly clear. Tinkerbell could never reveal the fact that she was once human. There had been no threat of dying on the spot, but it wasn't something Tinkerbell wanted to test. "Would you believe me if I said I can't?"

"Fairy troubles?"

"Fairy troubles," Tinkerbell echoed.

"Fair enough." Jefferson's brow wrinkled as Robin started sprinkling ashes along the trail. A flicker of misery clouded his brilliant eyes, reminding Tinkerbell that he knew what it was like to lose someone he loved. "My house isn't far from here. I think I'm going to pay my respects with a drink rather than continue to freeze my ass off for a woman I didn't know." He glanced down at her, their eyes meeting for a second. "You're more than welcome to join me."

Tucking her lower lip between her teeth, Tinkerbell gave what she hoped was serious consideration to the offer. It seemed a tad bit rude to leave what was supposed to be some sort of memorial service for Marian but, as Jefferson had so eloquently put it, she wasn't keen on freezing her ass off for a woman she didn't know. A woman, if she was entirely honest, that she hadn't wanted to know. To her, Marian would always be the reason Regina and Robin hadn't admitted their love sooner. Maybe that was childish of her, she didn't really care. One of the benefits of being a fairy was being able to use Pixie Dust to reveal the truth, and the truth was Robin and Regina belonged together. That wasn't her personal opinion, it was fact. They shared two parts of the same soul. Tinkerbell knew all to well what it was like to have half her soul missing and it wasn't something she wished upon her worst enemy, let alone someone she loved as much as she loved Regina. And it was because she loved Regina, viewed her as the sister she might or might not have had in her previous life, that she decided staying would be worse than leaving. She didn't know if she could pretend to be sad Marian was gone. "Alright," she agreed. "One drink. And then we meet up with everyone at the diner."

They walked the short distance to his house in silence. He hadn't been lying when he said his house was close. The stone mansion seemed to rise from no where, half in the woods, half facing Riffling street. "Impressive," she murmured, following him inside. The interior was a surprise. Except for the occasional splash of color from artwork or throw pillows, the place was as white as the world outside. Tinkerbell would have thought a man as intense as the Mad Hatter would live in a home full of vibrant colors.

"Its a place to live," Jefferson countered, leading her into a spacious living room with low white couches and a large fireplace that already had a fire blazing. Biting back a cry of delight, the fairy scurried towards the heat. There was no disguising the blissful sigh that breathed past her lips. She glanced over her shoulder to ask him what he had meant when he said 'it was a place to live' and then frowned. Jefferson was no where to be seen. She started to call out his name but stopped herself. He had probably gone in search of the promised drink. Her theory proved correct when he reappeared with a tray that contained a teapot and two teacups. A bemused smirk tipped the corners of her lips. Tea with the Mad Hatter. It was too cliché. She wondered if he had seen any of the movies that depicted him and if that was why his drink of choice was tea.

"When you offered a drink, I thought you meant something stronger than tea," Tinkerbell teased as she shrugged out of her jacket and, when she discovered the room was still a bit too warm, the black sweater she'd worn to show she wasn't entirely unaware of why they had gathered in the Forest.

"Sorry. I try not to keep anything stronger than tea in the house. Don't want to give Grace the impression that alcohol is the answer." A lock of hair fell across his brow as he bent to set the tray on the glass coffee table. He lowered himself to the floor and reached for the tea pot. Tinkerbell followed suit and gracefully sank onto the floor.

"A bit of a comfort drinker, are you?" Tinkerbell smiled as he handed her a cup. The smile wavered as she stared the white, hand painted tea cup. It looked so familiar. Her head started pounding. _No_, she told herself firmly. _Not today. _Today she would ignore the past that wanted to break through the wall Anna had erected in her mind and she would focus on the friendship that seemed to be blossoming between her and the man across from her. She had to giggle a little. She, a fairy that this world associated with goodness, was best friends with a woman who had been known as the Evil Queen and was working on a friendship with someone known as the Mad Hatter. Somehow, she didn't think Walt Disney would approve.

"You could say that," Jefferson conceded. "Helps me forget."

"Forgetting isn't always so great," she pointed out, taking a sip of her now lukewarm tea. It tasted faintly of cinnamon.

Arching one brow, he stared at her. "And what, exactly, does a fairy have to forget?"

Staring down at her cup, Tinkerbell swallowed the lump of emotion that had been forming in her throat. "Quite a bit actually," she whispered before taking another drink of tea. She would kill for something stronger. Maybe some of the rum Hook and she used to drink on the beach in Neverland. "You know," she looked at him from over the rim of her teacup, "I wasn't always a fairy."

"No?"

"No. I used to be human." Again she waited. Relief shot through her as nothing happened. It felt so good to finally tell someone that she had once been human. It was probably all she could, or would share, but it was enough. It felt like she had somehow validated the life she had lost when Anna made her a fairy.

"Human? I didn't know fairies could be human."

Tinkerbell studied him for a moment, trying to gauge whether or not he was mocking her. He wasn't, she decided a moment later. There wasn't a single trace of jest on his face. "Typically, they can't. Something happened that wasn't supposed to be part of my Fate or Destiny and the only way Destiny knew to fix it was to turn me into a fairy." How being a fairy fixed her Destiny, Tinkerbell didn't know. She couldn't even remember who she used to be. All she had were vague impressions of a life her heart yearned for. It was the loss of that life that made her push so hard for Regina to embrace her chance at love. Tinkerbell would have given anything to feel her husband's arms around her, to hear him whispering in her ear how much he loved her.

"So, what do you miss the most about being human?" This time there was a teasing glint in his eye, but Tinkerbell found she didn't mind.

"Truthfully?" He nodded. She took a deep breath. "Sex. I miss sex." Telling him she missed sex seemed less personal than saying she missed the physical and spiritual connection she had felt when she and her husband had made love. Funny that should remember that but not what he looked like. All she had was an impression of a teasing grin and...her fingers started to shake...electric blue eyes. Her chest tightened as she forced herself to look up and into Jefferson's...electric blue eyes. "We should get going," she hastily, quickly setting the half empty tea cup on the silver trap with the tea pot. "I'm sure they're done sprinkling the ashes. Marian wasn't all that big." Jumping to her feet, she reached for the jacket, scarf and hat she had discarded.

"Tink." Jefferson rose, confusion on his face. He looked like he wanted to say something or at least ask her why she was suddenly in a hurry to go back into the cold. She prayed he didn't ask, because she wasn't sure she had an answer either of them would understand. "You're right," he said. "We probably should head to the diner. Just let me get my car keys."

With trembling fingers, Tinkerbell bundled herself back up. She wanted to run out the door, to head straight to the convent and beg Blue to help her find her memories. It wouldn't do any good. Blue would tell her that if Anna had wanted her to remember who she was then she would remember who she was. No, if Tinkerbell wanted answers she would have to talk to someone who could help her get them. Someone with magic. Someone like Rumpelstiltskin. Normally, she would go to Regina but this wasn't something Regina could help her with. It would require a dark magic, the sort the Dark One excelled at. After the meeting, she decided. She would speak with Rumpelstiltskin about obtaining her memories after they decided what was causing Elsa to continue to freeze Storybrooke.

"Ready?"

Tinkerbell nodded and followed Jefferson back out into the cold. The drive to the diner was even quieter than the walk to his house. That suited her just fine. There were too many conflicting thoughts warring for attention in her mind. She was still trying to sort through them when they pulled into a parking space near Granny's Diner. She hopped out of the vehicle and half-ran, half-walked towards the diner's entrance. She wrapped her fingers around the door knob and started to pull. A larger hand wearing a black leather glove stopped her. She didn't have to look up to know who it belonged to. "You're really starting to give me a complex," Jefferson accused. "Always in a hurry to leave my company."

"No," Tinkerbell denied. "I...you...it's complicated and even if I wanted to explain, I don't have the slightest idea what I would be explaining." She felt a bead of hot moisture leak from the corner of her eye and trail down her cheek. By the time the tear clung to her jaw it had cooled. She reached up at wiped it away with her mitten. "I feel like I'm going crazy. I have all these jumbled up thoughts and I don't which ones are real or which ones are things I want to be real, and I have no way of sorting through any of them."

"Talking about them might help." It was the second time he had suggested she talk to him.

"You have no idea what you're suggesting." Her hand fell away from the door knob and she turned to face him. Gathering every ounce of her courage she forced herself to look him in the eye. An odd sort of muddied clarity about the last day of her life as a human flitted before her. "I was married Jefferson. I was married and I had a daughter. I don't remember their names or what they looked like. I just know that one day my husband agreed to do something he shouldn't have, something to do with magic, and I left our daughter with a neighbor so I could stop him. I seen him across our neighbors pond and I thought if I could just get across that pond I would be able to catch him. Half way across the ice cracked. I fell through. I knew the instant I felt the water pulling me under that I was going to die. Only I didn't. Anna came. She pulled me out and she told me it wasn't my Fate or my Destiny to die that day." She seen the truth shining in his eyes. The single clear memory she possessed mirrored part of what he knew about his wife's disappearance. About her disappearance, because there was no doubt in Tinkerbell's mind that Jefferson and Grace were the family she had lost. Lost and could never get back. Her heart felt as though someone were ripping it to shreds. "Magic always comes with a price," she said bitterly. "It's just a shame it isn't always the right person who has to pay." Spinning around she shoved open the diner's door. She didn't care that she had left him standing outside, probably reeling from the fact that his missing wife had been right in front of him for months and he hadn't even realized it.

"Are you alright?" She felt Regina cupping her upper arm and pulling her into a semi private corner. Tinkerbell shook her head. No, she wasn't alright. She'd done the one thing Anna had asked her not to do and now she wished the consequences had been death. Death would have certainly been less painful. She had a new respect for what Robin had felt when Marian reappeared. It wasn't the same situation, as Jefferson really was Jefferson and Marian had been inhabited by Zelena. "I seen you leave with Jefferson. If he hurt you..."

"No," Tinkerbell shook her head. "_I_ hurt _him_. And now isn't the time to speak of such things. We need to focus on why Elsa is here."

"I think I might have some inkling," Regina muttered looking across the busy diner. Tinkerbell followed her gaze until it settled on Rumpelstiltskin.

"Rumple? You think she's here for Rumple?"

It was Emma Swan who answered. "The urn where Elsa was trapped was inside a cabinet in this vault where Rumple said he kept magic he didn't understand. So either he put her there or he knows who did." What she was saying made sense. If the urn containing Elsa had been found in Rumpelstiltskin's vault with no doors, there was a very good chance he had either contained her himself or he knew who had.

"So the plan is to...what? Ask him?" From the looks on their faces, Tinkerbell realized that was exactly what they planned on doing. "And you think he's going to tell you the truth?"

"Oh, he'll tell us," Emma bit out, her jaw tightening.

"And if he doesn't," Tinkerbell pressed. "What then? Are you prepared to approach Elsa yourself? For all we know she's here because you altered the past."

"If that were the case, I think she would have started thawing the place out by the now. My main 'alteration to the past' just had her ashes spread throughout the forest."

It killed Tinkerbell to admit it, but Emma was right. "Alright, I'll concede to the point that it isn't your fault Elsa is turning Storybrooke into a winter wonderland. You still haven't answered my question, though. If Rumple doesn't cooperate, are you prepared to seek out Elsa and ask her why she's dooming us to an eternal winter?"

"If it comes to that, then yeah, I'm prepared," Emma shot back. "Are you?"

"I'm not the one who started this mess by snooping around a time portal!"

"Enough!" The diner silenced as Regina raised her voice. It was the first time in a long time Tinkerbell had heard her friend use such a harsh tone. "We need to stay focus. Right now nobody on the outside has noticed that we're unseasonably cold, but how long until they do? How long until another Greg or Tamara shows up?" Nobody spoke. Tinkerbell had never met Greg or Tamara, nor had she been present for their nefarious plans, but she had been around for the fall out. It hadn't been pretty and it wasn't something she cared to repeat. "We have to fix this and we have to fix it now."

"Bravo, your majesty." Across the room Rumple slowly, deliberately clapped his hands. "Now," he shifted his gaze to Emma,"dearie, what is you wanted to ask me."

"You had Elsa in an urn in your vault without doors." It wasn't a question. Tinkerbell had to give Emma credit for not backing down from a man most people feared.

"That is rather obvious, seeing how you were in that same vault when you created a portal home...the same portal that brought her to our world."

"Rumple," Belle murmured, touching her husband's sleeve. "Why did you have Elsa in an urn?"

Rumple looked down at his wife, his features softening. "I didn't," he answered softly. "The urn was there when I inherited the castle from Zoso. I had no idea what it contained, I just knew he had it locked up."

"So you're saying that Elsa was already trapped in the urn when you became the Dark One and you inherited her, along with the castle?" The disbelief on Emma's face mirrored the disbelief Tinkerbell was feeling. For a moment she was able to forget about Jefferson and all the problems that were bound to arise now that she had some idea who she was. "How do you not know that you have Fate locked up in an urn in your basement?"

"Well, Miss. Swan, the answer is quite simple. Unlike your pirate _friend_ I don't open things that are sealed...especially when I don't know what is contained inside."

"I told you he wouldn't be of any help," Tinkerbell muttered. If Rumple knew anything else, he was keeping it to himself.

"On the contrary," Rumple called to her. "I've been a great deal of help. You see, I've been the Dark One for 3oo years. Which means..." he looked pointedly at Regina.

"Which means whoever originally contained Elsa did so before you became the Dark One," Regina finished. What did it matter when Elsa was contained? She was free now and she obviously had a purpose in Storybrooke. Their time would be better spent trying to figure that purpose out.

"Correct, dearie."

"So we know she's been trapped for 300 years. That doesn't tell us anything," Emma accused.

Wrong, Tinkerbell thought. It told them a great deal. It told them that whoever Elsa was after was at least 300 years old, and that narrowed their list down a great deal.

**Now that the chapter is finished, I can admit that I had a moment where I really wanted to write Mad Fairy Smut. It wouldn't have worked in this chapter and this is not their story. The main reason I delved into "their past" is I wanted to shed some light on Anna. She's been through a lot, having to shoulder not only her own responsibilities but her sister's as well. There is also the fact that she...well you will have to wait until the next chapter to find out what she did! For visual purposes I have Maggie Grace in my head as Elsa and Evangeline Lilly in my head as Anna. Love it or hate, let me know in a review! I am pained to admit it, but reviews do inspire me to write quicker. **


	15. Once Upon AWhat?

_**Warning! This chapter is complete and total Outlaw Queen fluff the first half. Fluffy to the point of OOC. Oops! I figured we all kind of needed it though. He he. **_

_**Kennedy, scifigrrl, JessicaBrennan, OutlawQueenForever:**_ _I don't know why, but I think I made myself a Mad Fairy fan! Which was not something I ever intended. I just wanted to bring Jefferson into the story without using him in a typical way. It sort of spiraled from there. _

_**4Lit: **Thank you for reminding of seen and saw. It is one of my weak points and I will be working on it! On the Emma front, she isn't absolved of anything. Tinkerbell let it go because at this point they are unaware of any repercussions in the time-line and they are assuming that whoever trapped Elsa is why she is there. Which is understandable since they built their whole original basis off Fate being there for Marian. _

_**Guest: **Emma hasn't been absolved of anything. There are hints to the contrary throughout the whole story. I still lave at least 20 more chapters planned and there is a lot that occurs in those chapters. I hope you hang around because I think you will be pleasantly surprised by why Elsa is there. _

_**All my other readers:** You guys rock! I am still amazed by how many of you like this story! I seem to get a new favorite, follow, or both every day. Thanks for having faith in my story! I will try not to disappoint you. I'm not entirely too sure how I feel about how this chapter turned out. It starts out fluffy and gets a little angsty. Let me know your thoughts! _

Chapter Fifteen

Once Upon A...What?

A bone deep weariness settled upon Regina's shoulders as she unlocked her front door. Not knowing for certain what was causing Elsa to continue to freeze their world was exhausting. She had her own theories on why the snow kept coming but she wasn't sure anyone wanted to hear them. Correction, Regina knew there were people, one in particular, who wouldn't want to listen to what she had to say. Biting back a sigh, she pushed open her front door. She waited to enter the warm foyer until after Robin, Henry, and Roland had already stepped inside. Closing the door, she leaned against it, a small, bittersweet smile forming on her lips as she watched her boys pulling off their boots, hats, jackets, and other cold weather paraphernalia. Henry glanced up and offered her a smile of his own. He had grown so much in their year apart. Just that morning she had heard the tell-tale cracking in his voice, a reminder that her little boy was growing from child to young adult. Before too long he would be taller than her. It seemed like yesterday he was Roland's size. Roland. Her eyes shifted to the sweet, little four year old who had captured her heart with his solemn brown eyes and dimpled grin. Roland hadn't smiled much today. He didn't seem to understand that his mother was truly gone. Twice, he had asked when she was coming back. Robin had tried to explain that Marian was dead, but Roland seemed to think "dead" was a temporary state. _Damn you Zelena,_ Regina thought with an inner grimace.

"I'm hungry," Roland complained, his adorable little face scrunching up as his father tugged off one of his boots. "My tummy keeps saying feed me."

"I'm kinda getting hungry too," Henry admitted as he hung his black, wool coat in the front closet. A quick glance down at the watch on her left wrist told Regina it was almost two in the afternoon. It was a little surprising that neither boy had voiced their hunger before then. Wrinkling her brow, Regina mentally went through the contents of her cabinets and refrigerator. What she came up with was the realization that she needed to grocery shop and soon. Thanks to Tinkerbell, there was stuff to make sandwiches and Regina was almost positive there were still some bananas on the kitchen counter.

"We'll make sandwiches," she said, pushing away from the door. "Henry, why don't you help Roland wash up." Peeling off her red leather gloves, she tucked them into her pockets before shrugging out of her coat. She carefully hung it in the closet next to Henry's and felt tears pricking her eyes as she realized Henry had also hung Roland's little jacket. Seeing it there, looking as though it belonged, made her remember her promise to Marian. _Make Roland your own._ It wouldn't be a difficult promise to keep. Regina already loved the little boy.

"I can make the boys lunch." Robin's distinct scent of half-forest and half something that was entirely him, wrapped around Regina as he leaned around her to hang his coat next to hers. Her front closet was starting to look as though it belonged to a family. Emotions swelled deep in her chest and she silently cursed the tear that ran down her cheek. _This pregnancy is making me sappier than Snow White, _she thought, using the back of her hand to wipe away the wetness on her cheek. "You need to be resting."

"I'm fine," Regina reassured him. Other than being exhausted, she was fine. Between Robin, Tinkerbell, Snow, and Henry she'd been forced to eat properly, drink enough fluids, and take at least one nap a day. The only exception to that rule had been today. Everything about the day had been off. It had started with Marian's memorial and trying to get Roland to understand what was going on. He hadn't. In fact, when they left the woods to meet everyone at Granny's diner, Roland had asked if Marian would be joining them. It had been Henry who stepped in and distracted the younger boy by asking if he wanted to look at his Fairytale Book. The question of when Marian was coming back would come up again, Regina was sure of it, and when it did they were going to have to figure out a way to get Roland to understand that his mother was gone for good.

"Are you certain? You'd tell me if you weren't?" Concern shone in Robin's blue eyes as he reached out and cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand.

"I'm fine," Regina repeated. She was still struggling with having other people look out for her best interests. There had been very few people in her life that had actually cared about her. It would be difficult to do, but Regina was certain she would grow used to having people around who loved her and wanted what was best for her.

"I just don't want to lose you," Robin whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. He slid one hand onto her stomach."Either of you." Closing her eyes as his lips brushed across her mouth, Regina savored the sweet but far to brief kiss. For a moment she allowed herself to regret not going into that tavern all those years ago. If she had...she mentally shook her head. If she had, Robin would be dead. Rumple would have seen to that. If not Rumple, then her husband. Leopold hadn't been the sort of man one betrayed. He would have ordered Robin killed without a second thought. "Tell me what you're thinking," he demanded softly.

"How lucky I am," she answered, opening her eyes.

"I'm the lucky one," Robin responded, gently pressing another kiss to her lips before taking a step back. _No_, she silently argued, _I am the lucky one. I'm the one who didn't deserve a second chance but you gave it to me anyways._ She would never understand why he had seen a second chance when he looked at her, but she would be eternally gratefully.

"Hm. That you are." Regina arched one, elegantly shaped brow and smirked. "Lucky I didn't turn you into another stuffed animal for Roland to enjoy. You would have looked adorable as a fox."

"A fox?"

Nodding her head, Regina closed the closet door and started up the stairs into the main foyer of the house. "Yes. A fox." She would have to introduce Roland to the joys of Walt Disney, particularly their version of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. No doubt Robin would get as big of a kick out of his Disney alter ego as she had out of hers. Of course, Disney had made him into an adorable little fox, where she had been made into a narcissistic bitch who was jealous of Snow White and wore the same boring outfit all the time. The sound of Roland squealing in the little bathroom tucked beneath the stairs shift her thoughts from silly Disney movies to the task at hand: scrounging up lunch for two hungry boys. "Will Roland eat wheat bread?"

"Roland isn't picky. He's been known to eat grass when not watched properly."

Pressing her lips together, Regina bit back a sarcastic comment about Roland eating grass. Now was not the time to tease Robin about his life in the Enchanted Forest. So far he had handled Marian's death and the memorial that followed better than expected. He claimed he'd been through it once and Marian wouldn't want him going through the whole process a second time. The words and the sentiment behind them were true enough but Regina knew better than anyone that it was just a front. At some point all the emotions Robin was forcing himself not to feel would come bubbling to the surface. When they did, she would be there for him.

The boys were already in the kitchen when Regina and Robin walked in. They were seated across from one another at the small, round table in the breakfast nook. Henry had once again brought out his fairytale book to entertain Roland. The pair seemed to be studying it rather intently; Roland with complete and total awe and Henry with a perplexed look on his face. "Daddy," Roland said excitedly when he spotted them. "You're in the book now!"

A frown formed between Robin's brows as he walked over to the table and leaned down to peer at the page Roland was pointing to. "So it would seem," he murmured. He glanced up and his bright blue eyes collided with Regina's dark brown ones. Her heart skipped a beat when she seen the worry that was slowly creeping into his gaze. "Regina, you might want to take a look at this."

Regina couldn't stop the sense of dread that was inching its way into her heart. She took a few steps towards the table and paused, mentally bracing herself for whatever change had occurred in the book so that it included Robin. It had to be relatively new. Henry still kept the book by his side and referred to it at least twice a day. He'd never made mention of Robin Hood's story appearing. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Regina forced herself to look at the book. Sure enough, the story of Robin Hood had appeared. Only it wasn't the one they all knew. There were elements of the original story: Robin running from his father, meeting and forming the Merry Men, stealing from the rich to give to the poor. She flipped the page, expecting to see mention of Marian. Instead she found a drawing of herself outside the tavern, Tinkerbell by her side. "This isn't possible," she whispered, her eyes scanning the words. According to the book she went into the tavern, choosing love over revenge. She jerked her gaze away from the story and studied Roland. Her heart started to race. If Marian no longer existed in Robin's story, what did that mean for Roland? Was he going to disappear? _No! Please no! Not that!_

"That's not the only change." Henry flipped through the pages until he came to another story. The story of the Mad Hatter. It now included his wife: the daughter of a Tinker, whose name was Bell. Tears burned the back of Regina's eyes as she read the accounting of how Bell, the Mad Hatter's wife, had become Tinkerbell, the fairy. Suddenly the exchange she had witnessed between Jefferson and Tinkerbell outside the diner made sense. _Oh Tink! I wish you had told me!_ "Mom?" Henry looked up at her, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Is Tinkerbell Grace's mother?"

"That's what the book is saying," Regina answered. Reaching out, she grabbed the book and started thumbing through it. Nothing was the same. All of the old stories had been altered and new stories added. Her heart slammed against her chest as the pages fell open to one particular story. The dread that had filled her earlier turned to fear. With hands that shook, she slammed the book shut. She tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat. She needed to see Rumple. She needed to show him the changes that had occurred in the storybook.

**Short chapter, I know. It was mad fluffy at the start and sort of left you hanging at the end... I was going to include the trip to see Rumple but that chapter is going to be hella long and I wanted to give you something... Thoughts? Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the reviews! **


	16. Truth Be Told

_**JessicaBrennan, Madison188, & chromeheartss:** Have no fear! Roland isn't going anywhere! All will be explained!_

_**4Lit:** Yes. As my mother likes to say 'all actions have consequences, doesn't matter who you are.' BTW your crack about Charming has me chuckling still! And this chapter is the just the tip of the iceberg as far as accepting responsibility goes. _

_**OutlawQueenLuvr: **That will be revealed in this chapter! _

_**OldFashionedGrl: **I really struggle with seen/saw. It is something I am working on. Thank you for caring enough to bring it up! I truly appreciate it! And always feel free to make suggestions that will help me improve upon my writing skills. It is a learning process, that is for sure! _

_**JLo10131121:** Having you, one of my favorite writers, say that my story is inspired makes me blush. You have no idea how much your comment means to me! Okay, fangirl moment is over! I promise! _

_**All my other readers, followers, and reviewers:** Thank you so much for your continued support! It means a great deal to me! Especially since this isn't the typical Once Upon A Time, or even Outlaw Queen, story. I hope you continue to read and enjoy! _

_**Dedication**: For my friend Jacky! Happy Birthday doll! (Even though at this point in time your birthday has passed. Still the sentiment is there!)_

_**Author's Note:** This chapter was difficult to write. I'm really not all that happy with it and if I didn't want to move forward with the story, I would scrap it all together. Unfortunately it contains information that is important to the story. The characters are definitely OOC at moments, so please, please, please forgive me for that! I promise the next chapter will be better. You'll get to meet Anna! _

_**Historical tid-bit:** The Earl of Huntingdon was a real man. Some Historians believe him to be the true Robin Hood. In fact, the name Robin Hood is on his gravestone. Another interesting bit about the Earl of Huntingdon: he was one of the custodians of Mary, Queen of Scots... Things that make you go Hmm! _

Chapter Sixteen

Truth Be Told

Clutching Henry's story book against her chest with one arm, Regina reached for the door handle to Rumple's shop with her free hand. She didn't have to look behind her to know that Robin, Snow, Emma, and Tinkerbell were there. After the initial discovery that the book was changing and Regina's assertion that they needed to talk to Rumple, Robin had suggested they leave the boys with the Merry Men. The less the two boys knew, the better. There was no point in causing alarm until they knew what was going on. Regina had agreed, the boys didn't need to be present when they started really looking through the book and trying to figure out what all the changes meant, but instead of the Merry Men she had pushed for the Charmings. She had wanted Snow with them when they talked to Rumple, and if Charming was distracted with babysitting the boys he wouldn't be able to make a nuisance of himself. _To__o__ bad the same couldn't be said for his daughter,_ Regina thought with a grimace. The last person she wanted around for this meeting with Rumple was Emma. If her suspicions were correct, Emma was the cause of the book changing, and knowing the out-spoken blonde the way she did, Regina could almost hear Emma trying to deflect blame off herself. There had been no getting rid of Emma once she had heard the stories in the book were changing. _As the Savior, it was her job to help figure out what was causing the change_. Thankfully, she had made the glib comment before they ran into Tinkerbell just outside of Rumple's shop. Regina shuddered to think what Tinkerbell would have said if she had heard the remark. Considering the verbal altercation that had started between the two women earlier at Granny's diner, Regina was certain Tinkerbell's response wouldn't have been pretty. Taking a deep breath, Regina pushed the door open. A small bell jingled, announcing their arrival. "Let me do the talking," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. The order was meant more for Emma than anyone else.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the shop, but once they did Regina noticed how empty and, she frowned a bit, quiet it was. "Rumplestilskin," she called, striding towards the long, glass case that sat in front of the curtained off doorway that led to the back of the store. She waited, listening for some sign of life. Concern had started to fill her when the curtain shifted and Belle stepped through. Normally, Rumple's bride looked as though she had stepped out of the pages of a 'French couture' magazine, but at the moment she resembled the heart broken girl Regina had held captive.

"Belle!" Snow gasped and rushed forward, her eyes wide with concern. "Is everything alright?" She engulfed the other woman in a hug, not seeming to notice or care that the embrace was one sided. Whatever had occurred, it had thrown Belle into a shock like state. It was selfish of Regina to hope Belle's obvious misery had been caused by something to do with her father and not Rumple. They needed Rumple and his seemingly vast knowledge of magic.

"No. Everything is not alright!" The answer came from Rumple himself. He appeared behind Belle, his face looking just as haggard as his bride's. Under normal circumstances, Regina would have enjoyed his obvious state of distress. At the moment, she needed him to be at the top of his game and since he clearly wasn't she couldn't bring herself to relish his discomfort. She tried to quell the sense of alarm that was rising in her. With or without Rumple, they would figure out why Roland was still there, why the book was changing, and what it all meant.

"I swear I didn't mean to do it," Belle sniffed, her fingers nervously twisting in the hem of her short, royal blue dress. "I...I just...I don't even know how it happened..." Her words trailed off and she burst into tears. "I swear, I didn't mean to do it," she repeated.

"What, exactly, did you do?" Emma finally demanded.

Not bothering to wait for an answer, Regina slammed the storybook down on the counter and flipped it open. She searched for Rumple's story and when she found it, she bit back a groan.._..as Belle's lips gently pressed against those of the Dark One, a brilliant light glowed around them. The pureness of __their __love had broken the curse... _"She broke the curse of the Dark One," Regina answered, jabbing one finger at the offending paragraph.

"I didn't think that was possible," Emma said slowly, her brows knitting together. "I thought the only way to be released from the curse of the Dark One was if someone had possession of the dagger, used it to kill the Dark One, and then took the curse upon themselves."

"True Love is the most powerful of all magic," Tinkerbell interjected. She moved to stand near Regina, her attention on the book that lay open on the counter. "It can break any curse."

"Really? Any curse?" Emma cocked one golden brow and crossed her arms. "So why is it still snowing? This town is busting at the seams with 'true love' couples and yet..." she gestured outside.

"Because the snow isn't a curse," Regina snapped, spinning around to face Emma. She'd kept her opinions to herself, or when forced to give one she had been nice about it. Her patience was wearing thin were Snow's daughter was concerned.

"Really? Then what the hell would you call the unseasonably cold weather we've got going on?"

"I believe you and I have already had this discussion," Rumple answered before Regina could. Using his cane for support, he walked out from behind the counter and stood just a few feet away from Emma. There was a fragile like quality about him that hadn't been there before. He seemed almost uncertain of himself, which contradicted everything Regina knew about him. "I told you that in altering the original order that things were supposed to occur, you pissed off Fate."

Watching the disbelief coloring Emma's face brought a twisted sort of satisfaction to Regina. She might have to tentatively claim the woman as family but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy when Emma was corrected on something she should have known but refused to see. "You're blaming me for this mess?"

"Emma." At the sound of her mother saying her name, Emma turned to look at Snow White. "There are always consequences when you break the rules," Snow said softly.

"You're on _their_ side?" Emma looked and sounded more like an eleven year old girl than an almost thirty year old woman. The complete and total devastation on her face as she accused her mother of taking 'their' side was heart breaking. It was the perfect reminder of how, in certain areas of her life, Emma was still a lost little girl in need of reassurance that she mattered.

"There are no sides," said Snow, her voice gentle and soothing. "It's just...Emma...you..." Snow looked in Regina's direction, silently pleading for help. Regina shook her head. The only person in that room that Emma would listen to was her mother. Snow was on her own. "Emma, you are a princess and part of being a princess is admitting when you are wrong, especially when your mistake has effected those around you!"

"Did you just go all enchanted forest on me?" Emma stared at her mother in shock, her jaw dropping even more.

Snow reached up and, using the tip of her index finger, pushed Emma's jaw upward. "Yes, yes I did." Letting out a loud whoosh of air, Snow turned towards Regina. "Show Rumple the book," she encouraged softly, reminding Regina of why they were in Rumple's shop to begin with.

"Book?" It was Belle whose interest was piqued at the mention of the storybook. Where she had been almost zombie like moments before, she suddenly seemed alert and ready to tackle whatever life threw at her. Relief shot through Regina. She and the librarian might have their differences, but Belle was someone they needed on their side. "Henry's book?"

"Yes," Regina said quietly, "Henry's book. It's...changing. New stories are being added and old stories...well, see for yourself." Regina carefully turned the book so that it faced Belle. She watched Belle's face as the other woman the new version of Beauty and the Beast. Shock followed by confusion flickered across the librarian's features.

"I...I don't understand," Belle looked up, her brow puckering in confusion. "It's like its our story and it seems familiar, but I don't exactly recall any of this occurring."

Regina nodded. She could understand feeling that way. Reading the book's version of Robin Hood still had her reeling; not just from shock but from fear of what it meant for Roland. "Here." She turned the pages until she found Robin's story.Belle bent her head, a lock of reddish brown hair sticking to her cheek, as she read the story aloud. When she was finished, none of them made a move to ask the question that was weighing on all their minds: why hadn't Roland disappeared. It was almost as though if the question wasn't asked it couldn't be answered, and if it couldn't be answered there was nothing for any of them to worry about.

"Rumple?" Belle was the one to break the silence as she turned to face her husband. Rumple shook his head. "Rumple," she said softly, "please. Can you think of any reason why the book is changing? Why Roland is..." her voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry, Belle. I don't have an answer." Rumple cast a sympathetic look in Robin's direction. "I wish I did."

"He's still here. That has to mean something." The vehemence in Emma's voice caught Regina off guard.

"She's right," Tinkerbell said slowly, tucking her lower lip between her teeth. "The fact that Roland didn't disappear the minute that story appeared in the book leads me to believe he isn't going to disappear."

"Can you guarantee that," Robin demanded.

"There are no guarantees with magic." Letting out a frustrated sigh, Tinkerbell stared out the front window at the falling snow, her features tense. Slowly the tension in her face eased and a curious sparkle lit up her eyes. She turned towards Regina. "You were with Marian when she died," she said. "What did she say to you? Did she say anything...anything at all..."

"She told me to never doubt Robin's love and to take Roland and make him my own," Regina answered. Her lips parted, ready to ask Tinkerbell what that had to do with their worry over Roland disappearing, when it hit her. _Make Roland her own._ Adrenaline started pumping through Regina's veins as her mind tried to accept what her heart knew to be true. Marian had somehow given her Roland; completely given him to her.

"That's it! That's why he is still here! Don't you get it?" Tinkerbell looked expectantly at their small group. "Marian gave Roland to Regina."

"So what you're saying is when Marian 'gave' Roland to Regina, she quite literally '_gave_' him to Regina?" The complete and total shock on Emma's face was almost comical. It was a feeling Regina understood, as she had felt it herself only moments ago. Everything she knew about magic said it was impossible, but there was so much she didn't know. Which was why she had come to Rumple. She had counted on him to fill in the gaps, to provide answers. "How is that even possible?"

Snow's eyes widened in disbelief."Love is the strongest magic of all," she said, as though that explained everything. If they had been in the Enchanted Forest it would have. There, love was everything. Things were different in Storybrooke. Magic was a little more complicated and often had different results than it would have had in the Enchanted Forest.

"Strong enough to alter D.N.A.?"

Crossing her arms, Snow stared at her daughter. "Magic born out of love can do anything," she insisted. "I would think _you_, of all people, would know that."

Letting out a sigh, Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're right," she admitted.

A brilliant smile stretched across Snow's lips. "Of course I am. I'm your mother. I'm always going to be right." A little giggle escaped her lips. "I've always wanted to say that! Gosh, it felt it good. I'm your mother, and I'm always going to be right!"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head, alright?" Emma let her hand fall back to her side and turned to Regina. "Robin's, Tinkerbell's, and Rumple's stories aren't the only ones that have changed, are they?"

"No," Regina admitted weakly. She'd been dreading this moment. Oh, she had known it would come. Aside from Roland, the newest story in the book was her main reason for wanting to see Rumple. If the story was correct, they had far bigger things to worry about than Elsa's snow. She inhaled deeply through her nose, held her breath until she felt her lungs burning, and then slowly exhaled through her mouth. She looked at Rumple, waited until their eyes met, and then spoke a name that sent chills raising down her spine. "Obsidian is in the book." She watched as the color leeched from Rumple's face.

"No," he hissed. "That can't be!"

Regina's hand started to shake as she forced herself to open the book to Obsidian's story. It shouldn't have been there. A tale as dark and twisted as Obsidian's had no place amongst Henry's tales of love. There had been no love in Obsidian's life, let alone her heart; except maybe for herself. She'd been as vain as she was wicked. Her vanity had been her undoing. Or so Regina had been told. It had taken both Rumple and Maleficent to defeat her. Even with their combined magic, they had been unable to kill her. Instead, they had taken her heart and pricked it with a needle that was dipped in the purest fairy dust. It had lightened Obsidian's black heart to a smokey blue. "Please tell me she isn't who I think she is," Regina pleaded, her heart rate accelerating as she waited for Rumple to tell her there was more than one fairy with a blue aura. "Please tell me you did not turn the black fairy into-" She clamped her lips tightly. She couldn't say it aloud. She wasn't even sure she wanted Rumple to say it aloud. If she was right, the hearts of several people she cared about would be bruised.

"Tell you what, dearie? That the black fairy isn't our own Blue? Well, now, you know how I feel about lies..."


	17. Doubt

_**OutlawQueenForever:** If you're questioning things, I did my job as a writer because it means you looked beneath the surface of what was happening. You will have answers to your questions sooner than you think! _

_**4Lit:** I have always thought there was more to Blue than meets the eye. Perhaps I am over-reaching by turning her into the Black Fairy, or Obsidian as she is known in this story, but I do think it is going to be fun to explore. _

_**JLC63: **What makes you think the storybook has really changed? (wink, wink) _

_**Just D.:** Things with the book are not what they seem. I think you will enjoy the direction I am going with it. As for Blue, I have to say I agree with your assessment that she is the worse sort of do-gooder because she is so sure that what she is doing is right, or, worse, her way is the only way. It is that part of her personality that led me to exploring this particular storyline. _

_**JLO10131121:** I love Keegan as well, but I've seen her say numerous times that she wouldn't mind exploring the idea of Blue as the Black Fairy because she thinks it would be fun! I felt like I had her permission to "go there." So...here I go! Hopefully you, along with everyone else who loves Blue, enjoy the ride! _

_**OldFashionedGrl:** I love Snow, absolutely love her, and I want a scene where she goes all mommy dearest on Emma. I think it would bridge the final gap between them. _

_**All other reviewers and readers: **Your reviews and your continued loyalty to this story are very humbling. I cannot tell you how much your support means to me! If I didn't answer your question in my responses above, I apologize. Just know that you and your thoughts are important to me! Also, if you are a fan of Blue don't be put off by what I have planned for her. Remember, Evil is made, not born. That is very true for Obsidian and I think you will enjoy her story! Just a reminder: I used Evangeline Lily as a model for the Anna in this story. _

Chapter Seventeen

Doubt

An eerie sort of stillness wrapped itself around Storybrooke as Robin walked the short distance between Gold's Pawn Shop and Granny's Diner. Nothing seemed to make sense any more. His mind, as well as his heart, remembered his life with Marian. He remembered meeting her. He remembered the exact moment that he fell in love with her. He remembered the excitement of running off to get married. He remembered how sick she had been during her pregnancy, leading him to break into the Dark One's castle to steal the Fairy God Mother's wand. He remembered how they had argued over what to name their newly born son, finally agreeing on Roland, after his second to eldest brother who had helped them elope. Those were not false memories. They were real. Nothing anyone, not even The Dark One or Tinkerbell, said would convince him otherwise. It shouldn't bother him that Regina had kept quiet about what she and Marian had talked about in those moments leading up to Marian's death, except it did. A part of him, a very small part of him, resented the fact that Marian hadn't wanted him by her side when she knew was going to die. She had to have known, why else would she say those things to Regina? He glanced to his left, to where Regina quietly walked beside him. A lump of emotion formed and lodged itself in his throat, threatening to cut off his air. If the book was correct, and he had his doubts, it meant she had chosen happiness and love over revenge. She had chosen him. Pulling one gloved hand from the pocket of his jacket, he reached out and twined his fingers with hers. "You've been very quiet," Regina observed, shooting him a quick glance before turning her attention back to the snow encrusted sidewalk.

"There's been a lot to absorb," he replied, his voice sounding as defeated as he felt. There was no way for him to broach the subject of the storybook being false with Regina without her feeling as though he were somehow opposed to the idea of her being the one he married and had a son with. He wasn't opposed to either of those things. Regina was, without a question, his true love. He felt the truth of that clear down to his soul. It didn't change the fact that Marian had been a part of his life though.

"True." Regina's steps faltered and she turned to face him. She reached for his other hand, sliding her fingers between his. "I don't know why Henry's book is changing, but there has to be more to it than everyone seems to think." Her head bowed, locks of dark hair shielding her face from view. "I wish I could believe the book was right, and for a moment I almost did, but..." she looked up, her dark eyes glassy with pain, "it isn't." A solitary tear slipped from the corner of her eye and trickled down the curve of her cheek.

"Why do you say that," Robin asked gently.

"My father is still dead."

Prince Henry was a subject they rarely discussed. Robin could only remember one conversation where Regina had told him the full extent of what had happened to her father. When she was done, she had given him a look that said she fully expected him to be so disgusted by what she had done that he ran. He'd been disgusted alright, but not with her. His disgust had been towards Rumpelstiltskin and the way the Dark One had manipulated a heart broken girl into becoming an Evil Queen capable of killing her own father. "You don't know that," he soothed. He untangled one hand and reached up to smooth some of her hair off her face. "It could be he is well and alive in the Enchanted Forest."

Regina shook her head. "I would know, in here," she splayed her fingers over her chest.

"Perhaps he is dead, but that doesn't mean it was by your hand." He didn't know why he was fighting so hard to get her to believe in something he didn't believe in. _It was the pain in her eyes,_ he decided. He hated seeing that pain in her eyes. "Regina," he said, loving the way her name rolled off his tongue. "The past doesn't matter. It doesn't define who we are or our future. Only we can determine those things."

Her lips parted, as though she were about argue, but a sigh came out instead. "You're right."

"Try not to sound so surprised," he teased. "I have been known to be right on occasion." Robin leaned forward just enough to press a kiss against her forehead and then took a step back. "Would you care for a bite to eat before we relieve David of his babysitting duties?"

Regina cocked her head to the side, as though she were giving serious thought to the invitation. "When you put it like that, how can I refuse." A flicker of a smile tipped the corners of her lips as she allowed him to tuck her arm into the crook of his elbow. As quickly as the smile formed it slipped. Her gaze was fixed on something directly ahead of them. Not something, Robin quickly realized as he followed her line of vision, but someone. Tinkerbell stood just outside the ice cream shop, Any Given Sundae, her face crumpled in pain as she stared inside. "Tink," Regina called softly. The fairy turned to stare at them, her large blue eyes filled with an agony that Robin knew all to well. It was the sort of agony that came from being conflicted over what was the right thing to do. "Would you care to join us for lunch?"

"I...I can't go in there." Tinkerbell shook her head, her blonde waves rippling around her shoulders. She averted her eyes back toward the diner. It wasn't difficult to see why she seemed weary of entering the diner. Sitting in one of the front booths was Jefferson and his daughter Grace. Robin had a fleeting memory of Henry asking if Tinkerbell was Grace's mother and Regina saying yes.

"Yes," Regina insisted, "you can. You should. If you don't you _will_ regret it. And that sort of regret isn't something you want hanging over your head."

A shiver rippled down Robin's spine as he realized that Regina spoke with the sort of passion that could only come from someone who had experienced deep regret. If she still felt that sort of heart, heavy regret it meant his original hunch was correct; something wasn't right with the changes in the book. It seemed as though there were certain aspects of it that were undeniably correct, like Belle breaking the curse of the Dark One and Tinkerbell being the Mad Hatter's wife, but there were other parts, like his story, that didn't quite add up. Any other time he would have questioned Tinkerbell, asked her how the book could be both right and wrong at the same time. Tinkerbell, with her own uncertainties, was no longer an option. Nor was Robin sure that he should continue any discussions regarding the book with Regina. It had seemed to upset her, and considering her fragile state...upsetting her further wasn't something he was willing to risk. He would just have to figure out the mystery of the book on his own. _You could always seek out Elsa,_ a silent voice suggested. Elsa. Of course! Who better to ask about a book that was about all their Fates, than Fate herself? Letting out a sigh of relief that he had found a way to sort out what was really going on with the book, Robin refocused his attention on Regina and Tinkerbell. The fairy was still staring in the ice cream parlor, still uncertain, while Regina had laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. He searched his mind, trying to think of something he could contribute that would help the situation. It came to him slowly, an inkling of a memory. He had taken Roland to the park and Grace had been there. There had also been several other children, all of which had their mothers with them. Only Grace and Roland had been without their mothers. Even at four Roland had picked up on it and when he brought it up, it was Grace's words that comforted him. She had helped Roland realize that it was alright to feel different because he didn't have a mother, and that it was alright to miss her, even if he didn't remember her, because she, Grace, missed her mother, even though her mother was just a vague memory of blonde hair and a soft voice. "She misses you," Robin murmured. Both women turned to look at him. "Grace," he elaborated. "Grace misses her mother...she misses you." He reached up and ran a hand through his hair, wondering how much he should say. He didn't want to guilt trip Tinkerbell into speaking to her daughter, yet he knew how much Grace missed and wanted her mother.

"She misses the woman Jefferson told her about," Tinkerbell corrected. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned as though to walk away.

"She misses _you_, her mother," Robin corrected.

"I haven't been her mother for a long time."

"I don't think you ever stop being a mother," he argued, his mind wandering to when Marian had first arrived in Storybrooke. Things had been difficult and awkward, mostly due to Zelena being merged with Marian's body, but throughout it all Marian had been there for Roland. She had made every effort to catch up with all the time she had missed.

"This isn't just about Grace though, is it?" Instead of verbally answering Regina, Tinkerbell shook her head. "Tink, you..."

"Aw, now isn't this sweet?" The air around them crackled with tension as Zelena walked towards them. She no longer resembled the down trodden peasant they had encountered at the hospital when she separated her body from Marian's. Her strawberry blonde curls had been tamed into soft waves around her shoulders and she had traded her Oz garments for a simple long sleeved black dress, tights, and boots. "Didn't anyone tell you it was rude to stare?" She stopped a few feet from them and smiled. It was a brilliant smile, one that almost reminded Robin of Regina's. Almost, because Regina's had warmth, where Zelena's had cruel intent.

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stay where you're not welcome," Tinkerbell snapped, her blue eyes flashing with anger.

"I'm wounded!" Zelena splayed her hand across her chest in a fashion that was so similar to what Regina had done earlier it was eerie. "And after all the trouble I went through to correct that book! Making sure you and my dear, dear baby sister got the happily ever afters you deserve."

"You?" Robin stared at her in shock. "You changed the book?"

"Of course," Zelena chuckled. "Who did you think had changed it? Fate?" The look on his face must have betrayed his thoughts as she burst out laughing. "My, my! Handsome and funny! I'm starting to see why my sister adores you."

Next to him, Robin felt Regina stiffen. "What do you want," she bit out.

Tapping her left index finger against her chin, Zelena pretended to contemplate her answer. "So many things," she finally replied, her grin widening. "Mostly, I want to finish what I started and how convenient for me that you not only have one, but two, of the key ingredients. Now that is what I call poetic justice!" She turned towards Robin and laid one of her slender hands against his cheek. He flinched at the touch. "Poor, poor Robin Hood. Can't keep the women he loves alive."

Every muscle in his body coiled, ready to spring. His blood pumped faster, spurred on by the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. She was taunting them, trying to get them to react. "Leave," Regina ordered coldly. "Now. Before I make you."

"Go on then, make me." Zelena taunted. Robin glanced at Regina, praying that she wouldn't do anything that might harm herself or their baby. She did nothing. She stood there, her fists balled up at her sides. "That is what I thought," Zelena smirked. "You always were weak. Never could make a decision for yourself." Raising her chin a notch, Zelena took a few steps towards Regina. She reached out and gripped Regina's chin in her hand. "Listen and listen well little sister. I might have failed once, but I won't fail again." Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against Regina's cheek before disappearing in a cloud of green and white swirled smoke.

**Eep. This is not where I had planned on ending this chapter but I had such a hard time writing it and I wanted to give you something! Thank you for your patience! The next chapter is patiently waiting for the review count to hit over 200 and then... LOL I am just kidding! Or am I? Please review and let me know what you think! Even if it is to tell me you still have questions. :) **


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